A Tale of Jaguars
by Loisceles
Summary: Years before Grune found Mum-Ra, a different war tore the city of Thundera apart, taking both princes to a very different life. AT.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** A Tale of Jaguars.

**Summary:** Years before Grune found Mum-Ra, a different war tore the city of Thundera apart, taking both princes to a very different life. AT.

**Rating:** NC-17

**Pairing(s):** Tygra/OMC Lion-O/OFC

**Author's notes:** This is based on the Thundercats 2011 universe, but completely takes an alternate timeline from the events taking place in the TV show. It has no real propose but to entertain me.

**WARNINGS:** This contains Slash, and mentions of abuse, sex with a minor, as well as mpreg and violence. It is dark and treats mature themes. Do not read if you don't like it. Some sections have been edited to get to the M rate. If you want to read the original go to AFF net.

***Disclaimer:** I don't own Thundercats, or any character or event associated to it, and I'm not making any money from this fiction.

**A Tale of Jaguars.**

Chapter 01. Spoils of war.

This was not happening. How was it possible that Thundera's army had fallen that fast? Not even the clerics had stood a chance against the magic of the jaguar's shamans! And the weapons they used… When had they developed that? It was outrageous! Granted, the Jaguar's clan had been one of the strongest, and for generations had been said to dwell on elemental and dark magic, but this?

Claudus could only watch in fury as his personal guard, that had been protecting the palace, was rounded up and made to surrender. He didn't have the Sword of Omens anymore. It had been claimed by the leader of the Jaguar's clan, technically making the jaguar the new king of Thundera, and Lord of the Thundercats. If the sword worked for the feline, then Claudus was truly deposed. As things stood at the moment he was a prisoner, along with Jaga and some other members of the council. The majority were dead. A rare occurrence, since the council didn't fight. This only enforced the defeated king's belief that they had been betrayed by one of their own.

They were escorted to the throne room, to lay down the terms of surrender and decide the prisoners' fate. Claudus was conducting himself with as much dignity as he could under the circumstances. The jaguars had taken the city and secured the palace in a matter of minutes. The warriors that had survived the last battle were all in the royal grounds, heavily guarded, along with the surviving clerics. The clerics' apprentices younger than sixteen were confined to the clerisy building, and waiting for a resolution.

The lion worried about the fate of his loyal subjects, and wondered about the fact that he was still breathing. The Jaguar clan had the reputation of being ruthless assassins, and not leaving any enemy alive. He frowned at Jaga when they were in the throne room along with the few members of the council that had survived, and two more nobles of the most notorious clans. Jaga was pensive. They didn't had any idea of what Baal, the jaguar king, had in mind, but at least he seemed willing to discuss some form of agreement.

The new king was in the Throne, with the Sword of Omens and the gauntlet firmly attached to his belt. At his side was a young jaguar, surely around mid-twenties, with the clan's coat of arms in the chest of his armour. Baal's son no doubt. Two more jaguars that seemed to be the king's advisors were there too, as well as one shaman.

The jaguar looked at the royal prisoner with contempt. He apparently was in no rush to set the war to rest.

"Well. Let's just wait 'till we are all here. Shall we?"

Claudus frowned. Were there more survivors of the noble clans?

The main door opened again, and Claudus trembled in fear when he saw his two sons escorted into the throne room by four warriors. Both princes looked unharmed, and Tygra's hand was on his younger brother's back, offering support. The lion king turned to look at his nemesis, wanting to demand that his sons leave the premises. They were too young for this. Tygra was fifteen, and Lion-O twelve years old. While Tygra had already started his formal training with his weapon of choice, he was in no way a warrior. Neither of them had anything to do with the useless war between the Thunderians and the Jaguars' clan.

Baal stood, and walked towards the prisoners with a wide smirk. He indicated his warriors that the young princes were to be kept apart from their father. He examined them more closely, pleased at what he saw. Both were young, but conducted themselves accordingly to their royal status, specially the older. The tiger carried himself with dignity and was doing an excellent job of looking every inch the prideful prince he normally was. His brother was fidgeting under the scrutiny, giving away his nervousness and fear, but that was to be expected, he was only twelve after all.

"Nice. Now we're ready to start."

"Is the princes' presence necessary? They have nothing to do with politics or wars." Said Jaga. The jaguar looked amused.

"Nothing? But they are the royal family; surely you have already started training them for the responsibility they'd have to face sooner or later. Well, this could be another lesson for them to learn: How to surrender properly." He never stopped smirking, and Claudus was tempted to throw a punch at him. "Besides, I am an advocate of not talking behind the children's backs when the theme involves them."

That unnerved Claudus to no end. The jaguars were well known for their aggressiveness and rage in battle, but Baal in particular was famous for his cruelty.

"Why would we be talking about them in an amnesty treaty?"

"Ah, allow me to explain."

The jaguar said, showing his teeth and pacing in front of the throne while he talked.

"It is customary to kill your enemy's entire family once you have defeated him."

Claudus' entire body went rigid. He was ready to pounce over the king and do something stupid. He was not going to let the arrogant cat put a finger on his sons. Lion-O had grabbed Tygra's arm and his face was showing his anguish. He had not yet learned to hide his emotions. The only indications that Tygra was as scared as his brother, were his clenched fists and pressed lips. The jaguar continued without given away that he had noticed the family's reactions.

"However, there are sometimes when an alliance can offer a more attractive bargain." He came face to face with the now enraged lion. Both cats were at the same height, the jaguar lacked the muscular built of the lion, but exuded a different power. The kind that you only dream of, and hope never to find in real life. "I have no use for a destroyed city, it would be a waste of time and resources to burn Thundera to the ground. But if it proves to be more trouble than it's worth, I'd not hesitate to erase it from the map with everything in it."

Claudus clenched his teeth. He didn't like what the jaguar was implying, and he knew that he had no choice but to acquiesce with the other cat's demands. He had people to worry about. Still, he'd prefer his sons out of the whole mess.

"And I suppose you have everything planned out."

The jaguar smirked and continued.

"Your race is a very hypocritical one Claudus. You talk so much about justice and equality, but only for those who share your view of the world. You fashion yourselves as merciful and show rare actions of altruism, but never for someone who's not a cat. Yet you are powerful and the lions had retained the crown for centuries. None of the other races had been part of the royalty in ages, until you got your first son." He looked directly at Tygra, who flinched this time. The jaguar licked his lips. "But he's not the heir, is he?" Baal looked at the lion again in amusement. "I wonder what happened to his clan."

Claudus growled and gave a step towards the jaguar king. One of the warriors immediately put a spear in front of him to remind him of his current situation.

"What are you implying Baal?!"

"My, my. I'm not implying anything Claudus. I merely wonder." The king chuckled and continued his pacing.

"To go to the point. Even when you are a tad bit egotistical, it'd be a shame to end your line and the inherent power it has. Taking into account that it'd be two powerful lines, for the tigers also had their special abilities. And Thundera is a very resourceful city that for some reason is stuck into complacence. There hadn't been a lot of progress in here, but it has potential. It may only need a push in the right direction. I have successfully conquered the city and its resources, it'd be nice to include the inherited capabilities of your line into mine."

Claudus was still growling under his breath. He thought he was starting to have an idea of what the jaguar was aiming for.

"An alliance between the clans often requires the mating of the heirs of course, if it's on equal footing. When it's not it's acceptable for other members of the royals' families to mate." Baal continued, Claudus grunted at having part of his suspicions confirmed.

"I have no daughters. Such an alliance would have to wait a few years, unless you have one and are actually considering to let your heir out of this."

The jaguar actually chuckled at that statement.

"Oh Claudus, don't try to be daft with me. You know perfectly well that a mating does not have to be between a male and a female. And you have two fine sons to do the job quite nicely."

Tygra was just barely able to conceal his gasp. Baal spared him a glance, but he could tell that the young prince was aghast. No doubt the tiger knew what was going to be expected of him, since he was both the oldest and not in direct line to succeed his father. The other prince had a worried frown on his face. He was not getting the big picture, but understood enough to be concerned.

Claudus would surely try to get his youngest son out of the deal. He was the heir after all, and the jaguar had no doubt that his lion counterpart would fight to have his line untarnished. He was curious to see if the recently deposed lord of the Thundercats would willingly offer his adopted son instead of his blood-heir. Claudus looked ready to explode.

"They _both_ are too young to even think of mating."

"Nonsense. Both are already past childhood, and biologically capable to mate already. It's about time my only son gets serious in his duty to our line. Besides, it's not really your choice, is it Claudus? It's for the good of the kingdom."

Jaga interceded then, because Claudus was incensed, pointing out the only thing that could make the king Baal reconsider.

"A mating like that would certainly guarantee a strong alliance, but it'll end with both royal lines. There'd be no heirs, not from the mating per se at least."

The jaguar looked amused at the cleric counsellor.

"Let me worry about that. I assure you that everything has been considered." He returned to look at the lion and his smirk widened a fraction. "So, what is going to be Claudus? This is a point we must settle before we go over the rest of the agreement, as is the one point that'd decide the necessity of a treaty at all."

Claudus was glaring daggers at the jaguar, truly enraged at the perspective of having to trade one of his sons for the survival of the city.

"If you are doing this in the hopes to assure that the Sword of Omens works for you or your descendants, you can forget it Baal. The Sword only recognizes the true Lord of the Thundercats!"

The laugh that answered the lion's words was nothing but truly honest. Baal took a moment to take the Sword out and examine it.

"An interesting theory, but what use do I have for the Sword of Omens? It may be powerful, I'd give you that, but I, unlike you Claudus, do not need the approval of a weapon to know that I. Am. The. King."

He sheathed the sword again and returned to their previous argument.

"Do not get yourself distracted Claudus. Come on! I'd even be considerate enough to let you choose which one of your sons you want to honour our peace pact."

The jaguar was paying close attention not only to the lion in front of him, but at the young princes too. He noticed Tygra closing his eyes briefly, already accepting his fate, while unconsciously pushing Lion-O slightly behind him. The young lion had his brother's arm in a death grip, and was looking wide-eyed at his father, like he couldn't believe that the king of Thundera was actually complying.

Claudus clenched his fists as cold fury ran through him. He really didn't have a choice. He had no doubt that the jaguar would kill everyone in the city without a second thought if his wishes were not granted. With a heavy heart he turned his head towards his sons, wanting to convey with his eyes how sorry he was. Both boys looked at him for an instant. He could tell that Lion-O was not really scared for himself, but for his brother. At his young age, the lion could grasp enough of the situation to know that he was the one his father would want to protect the most. Claudus looked at his oldest son, mentally asking for forgiveness for what he was about to do. He felt his mouth go dry as he gave his answer.

"Tygra."

The tiger only nodded and bit his lip, his eyes lowered downcast. Lion-O's pupils dilated and with an audible _No_ he tried to run to his father. Tygra caught his arm on time and pulled him at his side again, giving him a stern look, silently ordering him to stay put and not say anything. Lion-O grimaced at his brother, clearly not happy, but obeying. Baal grinned at the two boys to show his pleasure.

"Excellent. Now we can move to more logistical concerns. The princes are excused."

Claudus watched as Tygra and Lion-O were escorted out of the throne room, both visibly shaken. Tygra managed to compose himself enough to look detached from the whole situation, and didn't even try to look back. Claudus closed his eyes, and prayed for his son to understand. He hoped that at least his tiger would be allowed to say his goodbyes to his brother and himself.

* * *

Tygra was confined to his room for the three hours that took the clans to get to a reasonable agreement. He had been separated from his brother, who had protested loudly while the warriors had taken him to his own room, but it was fine with Tygra. He didn't want Lion-O close to him at the moment. He didn't want to explain what was about to happen and why. He understood his father's decision, but that didn't mean that he wasn't bitter about it.

He had been permitted to pack one bag, and he had done so under the vigilant eyes of his appointed guard. He had been almost sure that he wouldn't be allowed his whip, but had risked it all the same, and had been pleasantly surprised when the jaguar hadn't batted an eye at him packing his weapon. He supposed that as long as he didn't try to use it, it was fine if he kept it.

He was looking out of his window, towards the clerisy building, thinking absently that he wasn't going to have a chance to say goodbye to Cheetara. He heard his door opening and he turned around with a scowl to face the jaguar warrior that was at the entrance of his room.

"It's time to go prince Tygra."

The tiger nodded and, getting hold of his bag, followed his guard morosely to the front yard. There, he was reunited with his brother, who took him by surprise hugging him tightly. Tygra caressed his brother's mane absently, thinking that the young lion was there to say goodbye, until he noticed the travel bag at Lion-O's shoulders.

"L-Lion-O. What are you doing here?"

"The jaguar said that I'm going with you."

"What?"

Tygra was aghast. Surely that was not part of the agreement. One of the warriors ordered them to move, and they were guided to the front of the line, where Baal and his shamans were starting to move to get out of the palace and the partially destroyed city. Tygra tried to talk to the king, but Baal only glanced at them, and once he was sure that both princes were there he gave the order to leave.

The young tiger didn't know what to do. He caught sight of the king's son, Jareid, and pulled on his arm before he walked away.

"Wait! My brother shouldn't be here!"

The jaguar prince looked at him with a hint of amusement.

"Of course he should. He's coming with us after all."

"B-but, why? I thought there was an agreement! I'm going with you so you leave my people in peace! Lion-O…"

"He's Claudus' blood-heir. You don't honestly believe that my father would leave him here, to be taught that the Sword of Omens should be his, and have to deal later with a young king who wants what's supposedly his back. Also, with both of you living with us, Claudus would think twice about breaking the pact that they had signed."

Tygra was speechless. He realized that Baal's intention had always been to take both of them away. What had been the point to get Claudus to agree to a mating then? Had it been only to see if they were better off dead?

Jareid smiled to him and took his chin, caressing his lower lip with a thumb. Tygra froze, and his eyes widened in sudden fear. It was the first time that the jaguar prince was that close to him, and he was finally able to compare their height. Tygra's body was still developing, and had not finished his growth. He barely reached the jaguar's shoulders. Jareid chuckled at his discomfort and leaned over him to whisper to his ear.

"Don't worry handsome. You're still my choice for mate."

Tygra gasped and freed himself from the jaguar's grasp. Prince Jareid winked at him and turned to walk away. Of all the…!

The tiger was greatly discomfited, and didn't utter a word while they walked out of the city. He kept Lion-O by his side, and tried not to think about their father or the fate that awaited them.

Unbeknownst to him, Claudus was watching the small delegation of the Jaguar's army leave. With his two sons. The lion was seething with ire. Not only he had learned that two of his own councillors had betrayed him, he had also been forced to surrender his paternity rights to Baal. There was nothing he could do at the moment, but he promised, that one day he'd recover what was his. At least Tygra and Lion-O would be together. He hoped that they'd be fine, and that the jaguar prince respected their agreement and wouldn't touch his younger son.

"If only Panthro and Grune had been here."

"I doubt that the outcome would have been different." Said Jaga behind him. "I don't know where the jaguars got that power, but nothing we did seemed to affect them. At least Baal won't be able to use the Sword of Omens."

"Are you sure Jaga?"

"The Sword only obeys the true king, and would never acknowledge an evil master. The jaguars rely too much on dark magic for the Sword to accept the commands of their king."

"I hope you're right. But it'd really be small consolation."

The lion looked as the jaguars exited what was left of the city to reunite with the rest of their army. They disappeared inside a curtain of heavy black smoke that was surrounding Thundera. They had used that to hide their army and turn their attack more lethal. The Thunderians hadn't even seen them coming.

Claudus half hoped to take a look at the army that had so easily destroyed the city's defences. But when the smoke lifted, there was nothing to look at.

* * *

Tygra was so absorbed in his own depressive thoughts that he didn't notice the moment they walked trough the black smoke. He barely heard his brother's exited gasp. It wasn't until Lion-O pulled his arm and called him urgently that he lifted his eyes.

"Tygra! Look!"

"What do you…? For the…!"

The tiger gaped at the… thing in front of him. It was not possible! Lion-O was about to jump up and down in excitement.

"It's a ship Tygra! Like the ones in the stories!"

It wasn't just a ship. Tygra gulped while he took his first look at the jaguars' army. There were many vehicles that looked like they could fly at high speed, and a few larger ships hovering in the air. The biggest one was on the ground right in front of them, no doubt waiting for them to board. The tiger now understood why the Thunderian army had had no chance. He hadn't testified the battle per se, they had attacked at night and he had been told to remain in his room. But he had seen many lights that had seemed to come out of nowhere and lighted the dark sky.

A few soldiers separated from the group and climbed on some individual pods. They took to the air quickly and apparently got inside one of the larger ships. Tygra was baffled. Dark magic his pants! This had nothing to do with magic! Technology was supposed to be a myth! How in the great thunder had the jaguars done this?

"Whiskers."

He didn't want to get inside the ship, but he had no choice. The warriors almost pushed him to get him walking again. Jareid noticed his reticence and came at his side.

"Come on Tygra. You're gonna like it."

He really doubted it, but they entered the ship, and Lion-O was fascinated with the big metal structure. There was ample space for fifty people, and racks of weapons along one side of the ship. They were guided to a row of seats, just behind the cockpit and ordered to sit down. As soon as everyone was ready, the doors closed and the ship took to the air noiselessly. Tygra could feel that they were flying, but they were pretty much isolated. There wasn't a single window or other way to see outside, and they couldn't look into the cockpit. That made Tygra nervous, as he would have liked to know where they were going, but Lion-O was happy looking at everything in the ship. Not that there was that much to look at, but the young lion soon started to make all kinds of questions to the soldiers that were with them.

Tygra sighed, seeing that Lion-O had forgotten their predicament for the moment. He wished he could do that. He was still too nervous and scared to even enjoy the discovery of technology. He felt someone sitting beside him, and he looked up to find Jareid there. Great. Just great. As if he wasn't anxious enough.

He tried to glare at the cat, but found that he really didn't want to even look at him. Jareid was ten years his senior, an adult by every account. Tygra was afraid of what was to happen once they arrived to Ix-Maal, the jaguar's city. He had never thought that he would find himself mated at such a young age, and to an older male on top of that. He knew pretty well what was the role he was expected to take in such an arrangement.

A hand caressed the back of his neck, sending shivers down his spine. Tygra bolted from the seat, and glared at the jaguar who just smirked at him. Lion-O interrupted his conversation with the soldier to look at him worriedly.

"Tygra? Are you ok?"

The tiger nodded to his brother, trying to make it seem that he just wanted to stretch his legs. Lion-O turned his head towards Jareid, and Tygra's blood ran cold when he saw the jaguar smirking and extending a hand to touch his brother's cheek.

"My. Aren't you one curious little kit?"

Lion-O instinctively pulled back when Jareid's thumb caressed his lips. Tygra was back on his seat in an instant, presenting a barrier between the jaguar and his brother. He told Lion-O to continue his talk with the soldier, and even smiled at him. The lion glanced nervously at the smirking jaguar, but complied with his brother's wishes and soon was again engrossed on talk about technology.

Jareid's hand was on Tygra's neck again, and the tiger closed his eyes tightly. He didn't want the jaguar's hands on him, but he had understood the message clearly. He was going to be mated to Jareid, but there was nothing that stopped the jaguar from touching Lion-O if he so wanted. And the older prince had just made clear that it'd be Tygra's job to make sure that he didn't want to.

Tygra endured Jareid's attentions for the two hours that took the ship to arrive to its destination in a tense silence. Thankfully, the jaguar was content with just touching him over the clothes. Tygra made a great effort to prevent himself from bolting away again on two occasions. The first when the jaguar's hand had run down his back and toyed dangerously with the hem of his trousers, and the other when Jareid caressed his left thigh and stopped short of touching his groin. Tygra's entire body stiffened then, and he almost let go a loud yelp. He gulped instead and looked at the jaguar with loathing.

Lion-O noticed his brother's body go tense and pressed himself to the tiger's right side, trying to comfort him. Tygra appreciated the sentiment, but didn't really feel better. In fact, having his brother so close to him when someone was blatantly molesting him was making his situation worse. He tried to remain calm for his brother's sake, and had almost succeeded in relaxing a bit, when the ship suddenly stopped.

The tiger escaped as hastily as he could from the jaguar's hands, earning a chuckle from his future mate, and tried his best to not turn to glare. He retrieved his bag and followed the soldiers out of the ship, along with Lion-O.

They emerged to a big courtyard, where every other ship had landed. There was movement everywhere and Tygra felt slightly overwhelmed. Wherever he turned were soldiers, with weapons he had never seen before. People were helping with the ships and other vehicles, some small like the hovering pods, and others larger, but didn't look like ships. It seemed like they were in some sort of keeping place for the war gear. Their guards guided them along the courtyard, and Tygra noticed that they were following the king. At the distance he could see the towers of a palace.

They finally arrived to the end of the courtyard and the big gate that was there opened to reveal an ample stone yard. At the other side of the yard was one entrance to the palace. Tygra got a partial look of the place that was going to be his home from then on. He could not really appreciate it entirely, but it looked like it was built from white stone, it apparently was as big as Thundera's palace. He could see no battlements, but the parapets and the roof were golden.

He didn't have much time to look more. They entered to some kind of service hall, where a tall female jaguar with black mane was waiting for them. Tygra guessed that she was the queen. At her side was a girl of about eight years old, who immediately ran towards the king.

"Dad! You're here!"

"Ah, Yeana. I see you missed me!"

"She wouldn't stop asking when you'd be returning."

Baal greeted his mate while his daughter hugged Jareid. Queen Xilara turned then towards the two young cats that accompanied her husband.

"Well, what do we have here?"

"Princes Tygra and Lion-O are going to be living with us from now on."

The king made the necessary presentations. Tygra and Lion-O greeted the queen and princess formally, and earned a pleased smile from them. Xilara didn't look particularly surprised to see them there. In fact, she congratulated her mate for his victory and the alliance he had obtained, showing that she had known the plans beforehand. Tygra didn't know what to make of that, so he stayed quiet. Xilara also told Baal that his people were waiting for him to announce his return.

The jaguar called a servant and instructed him to show the two princes their rooms, and made sure that they were installed and ready for dinner in an hour. Then he called the head of his shamans and his commander, and walked away with his family.

Tygra and Lion-O were guided in another direction, to the keep of the palace. They walked through ample halls and climbed two sets of stairs. Everything was built with the same white stone, red rugs were along the floors, and tapestries and portraits covered the walls. Here and there they could see the influence of technology in the palace. Like the light. There weren't any torches. The illumination seemed to flow from the roof. Also, the doors they encountered were without a handle or any kind of keyhole. Tygra was wondering how they were opened, when they met another servant just entering the last corridor.

"Ah, Bengali. Good you're already here. Prince Tygra, meet your personal assistant."

Tygra gaped. He barely recovered to greet the white tiger that was in front of him. It was an adult tiger, but still looked young, possibly around thirty. At his side Lion-O beamed enthusiastically.

"You're a tiger too!" Said the young lion. Tygra looked embarrassed at his brother's outburst, but Bengali only smiled.

"Yes, I am little one. Why don't you go with Xiao here to your room? I'm sure you're going to like it. You'll see your brother later."

Lion-O nodded and went with the jaguar servant. Tygra looked as his brother was taken to a door a few meters away from his, on the other side of the corridor. As soon as both Lion-O and his companion disappeared, he turned to look at the white tiger.

"I'm sorry, it's just that we had never seen another tiger before. I-I…"

"Don't worry about it. There aren't many of us anymore. Come, I'd show you your room."

He pressed his hand at the doorframe and they heard a beep. The door didn't open like Tygra was expecting. It slid inside of the wall, leaving the opening for them to enter. The tiger looked in bafflement at the door. He hoped that the servant would teach him how to open it, or he was going to be trapped in the room. He gulped in nervousness, thinking that maybe that was Baal's intention, to keep both brothers prisoners in their own rooms until he pleased.

Therefore, he gave a sigh of relief when Bengali showed him not only how the door worked, but also the lights, and other things that used technology. It was an ample room. The walls were white, with some green tapestries where the bed was. There was a forest-green rug by the bed, two bedside tables with lamps, two armchairs near a small table and a big window at the other side of the bed. The white tiger helped him with the few things he had packed and showed him an en-suite bathroom, complete with a walk-in closet. Tygra was instructed to clean himself and get ready for dinner. Bengali would be waiting for him outside the room.

Once alone, Tygra started to move mechanically. He didn't even see the clothes that the white tiger had prepared for him. If he stopped and gave himself time to think, everything was going to come crashing into him. He took a shower and was dressed and ready in twenty-five minutes. His clothes were a deep purple colour, with some patches of a lighter tone, long sleeves, and black boots to go with them. He absently thought that he preferred royal blue, but squashed the thought away. He was not going to think about home at all.

He was in front of a full body mirror, without really seeing himself. He was starting to tremble, when a knock and a noise at the door signalled that Bengali had gotten impatient.

"Ready prince? It's time." The white tiger said, not un-gently, noticing that the boy was one step from falling apart.

Tygra nodded and took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. He wasn't going to lose his dignity in front of the royal couple. It had been bad enough to do it in the ship, allowing Jareid to touch him as he had pleased.

He followed Bengali out of the room, and joined a still marvelled Lion-O, who didn't stop talking about all the things in his room to his brother. Tygra soon noticed that the young lion wasn't as enthusiastic as he had believed before. Once he was paying more attention to his brother, Tygra realized that the lion's smiles looked forced, and his mannerisms were a bit exaggerated. Lion-O was trying to distract himself and his big brother in the only way he could think of. No doubt the boy was doing the same thing as Tygra, and refusing to acknowledge their situation.

The tiger stopped his brother in mid-sentence before they entered the dinning hall, and hugged him tightly. He muttered in the lion's mane.

"Calm down Lion-O. We'd be ok. I'm here."

The lion hugged his brother too, and nodded. He was more relaxed when they entered the hall.

* * *

.

Dinner was uneventful. Tygra and Lion-O weren't required to talk much, but they were forced to listen to Baal's tale about the battle and some of the clauses of the treaty. They briefly went over Tygra's mating to Jareid, and how the tiger was to be presented to the counsel and the citizens. They were informed that the mating ritual was to be celebrated in a year, to give Tygra enough time to come to terms with it. That had been a special request of Claudus in consideration to his son's young age. Baal saw no harm in granting it.

Tygra didn't think that he'd ever get used to the idea of being mated to a male, but kept his thoughts to himself. There were so many things that could happen in a year. He was sure that his father was counting on being able to come with something to retrieve them in that time. He hoped Claudus could find a way out of the agreement, but he wasn't too optimistic.

Lion-O was anxious. Listening to the adults talking had forced him to acknowledge the extent of their situation, and specially his brother's new role. He inwardly cursed their poor preparation, their luck, technology, wars, and jaguars in general. He didn't know what he could do to give support to his brother, what he did know was that the tiger would likely try to deal with the whole ordeal on his own. He worried about Tygra. His brother was so stubborn he'd likely make things harder for himself.

They were dismissed when dinner ended, and sent to their rooms. Before they parted ways in the hallway, Lion-O looked seriously at his brother.

"Tygra? Are you going to be ok?"

The tiger had his lips pressed in a tight line. It was evident to the little lion that his brother was upset. He wished the tiger would talk to him and let him help, but Tygra only sighed and offered his brother a stressed smile.

"Of course. You don't have to worry about me Lion-O. Go to sleep."

Lion-O was about to protest. He hated to be the youngest. No one ever took him seriously. He felt that Tygra underestimated him. He wanted to help. But before he could say anything, Xiao, the servant that had been appointed as his assistant, put a hand on his shoulder and hastily pulled him towards his own room. Lion-O looked up and glared at the jaguar, but saw that the servant's attention was beyond their little group. Lion-O turned to see Jareid walking towards them with that exuberant smirk of his firmly in place. Lion-O looked anxiously at his brother. He didn't want to leave Tygra alone with the jaguar prince, but the tiger had also noticed Jareid's approach and with a movement of his head signalled Lion-O to leave.

"Come prince Lion-O. Your brother is going to be fine." The servant muttered to him.

Lion-O was not too sure about the jaguar's asseveration, but he had no choice. He followed Xiao to the room, praying that Tygra would really be ok.

No sooner had Lion-O and his guard, because that was what the assistants were, entered the room than Tygra felt Jareid's looming presence over him.

"Bengali, the prince and I need to talk, you wouldn't be required tonight."

Bengali lifted an eyebrow at the jaguar. After a moment's hesitation, he said hastily.

"My prince, I really don't think it's proper for you to be visiting your intended at this late hour."

Tygra was astonished at the white tiger's temerity. He didn't want the feline to get in trouble, but at the same time prayed for Jareid to listen to that piece of advice. To his surprise the jaguar laughed.

"Come on Bengali! Don't be such a prudish! I only wish to talk to my future mate, and I think that the hour shouldn't be a concern in this case. Besides, you were instructed to follow my orders in anything regarding the princes."

Bengali huffed and crossed his arms.

"Must you do this now? The boy has just left his home, he deserves some time to adjust."

"And he'd have it as soon as I'm done. Don't worry, I'm not going to break him. Yet."

That sentence didn't reassure Tygra in the slightest. Bengali pressed his lips together, and looked like he was about to scream. Jareid stopped him before he could utter a word.

"If it makes you feel better, you can wait for me outside. Now, excuse us."

The jaguar opened the door and pushed Tygra inside the room. He entered immediately behind and closed the door in the face of one very displeased white tiger.

As soon as the door was secured, Jareid turned to his fiancé. The orange tiger had practically run as far as the room allowed him, cornering himself in the process. He was scared, and it was all too evident. Jareid licked his lips. The still developing teen was going to be a very handsome feline, with a strong muscular body, and no doubt incredibly flexible. And was his. His property, to do as he pleased. The thought of having that excellent body under him, crying in agony and pleasure as he claimed it, was enough to make him hard.

He approached the tiger with determination. He wasn't planning to reassure the boy, or give him time to get used to the idea of a mating. That was pure bullshit. The Thunderian prince needed to know that he belonged to Jareid, and that his life and everything in it depended on the jaguar's wishes.

When he was a few steps away from his intended, Tygra realized his mistake and tried to escape to the centre of the room, but Jareid caught his arm and forced him into the corner again. Tygra rebelled and tried to fight the jaguar's strong grasp. Jareid was amused at his efforts and after a few moments he easily trapped the tiger's wrists and turned him over, pressing the boy's face against the wall. He grounded his hips against the prince's buttocks and moved, so the teen could feel his erection rubbing through the clothes.

Tygra froze. He was trapped, and their bodies were so close together, making the difference in their heights painfully evident. The tiger started to shake in fear. He couldn't escape, he could barely move, the friction on his behind was driving him mad.

Jareid grabbed both slender wrists with only one hand, and with the other took hold of his captive's jaw, forcing Tygra to lean slightly backwards. The teen whimpered and fought to move, but Jareid's grasp was firm. The jaguar's mouth was suddenly at Tygra's ear, muttering quietly while thrusting his hips.

"I can't wait to get inside of you. I bet that you're all tight and hot."

Tygra gasped as Jareid's tongue licked his ear. Desperately he tried again to move. He had to get away!

"N-no. T-they said that I-I have a year."

Jareid chuckled in his ear and gave him a nibble with his teeth.

"Of course. In a year, our mating would be recognized as official. In the meantime, there's no reason why I shouldn't enjoy the delicious body of my future mate."

Tygra almost cried in desperation. Jareid turned him around to face him and took hold of the back of his neck and his rear. He was much stronger than the teen, and Tygra couldn't do anything to stop what was coming.

After several long minutes of rough play, Jareid had effectively turned Tygra into a terrified boy. He licked the angry red mark he had left in the youth's neck, and smirked proudly.

"You're going to make sure to show that off. Everyone has to know that you're mine. Do you understand?"

The tiger gave a tiny nod, and the jaguar finally let him go. He lifted the teen's chin one last time and kissed the bruised lips gently. He dried with his thumb a few tears that had escaped the brown eyes and smiled.

"You see my future mate, if you're a good little tiger life can be quite pleasurable for you. If you decide to be difficult, then I'd have to be very rough with you. Either way is fine by me."

He turned around after giving one last kiss to the shocked tiger. Tygra looked in a daze as his abuser exited the room. He couldn't move. He was only standing because the wall at his back was supporting his weight.

Bengali entered to find a mess of the Thunderian prince. Tygra's entire body was trembling uncontrollably, his hands were clenched at his sides, and his eyes were glazed and unfocused. There was blood on his lips and neck and possibly other bruises. The smell of the room and the viscous liquid on Tygra's hand gave the servant a good idea of what had happened.

The white tiger bristled in fury. Pompous, egotistical, bastard! There was no need to leave the young prince in this state! If he wanted to show off his strength he could do it with someone who could actually fight back!

He carefully approached the teen, who gave no indication of noticing him.

"Prince Tygra? Look at me."

Tygra's eyes didn't move. He was in shock. Bengali cursed his bastard of a prince again.

"Come Tygra. Let's get you cleaned and into bed."

The young tiger put no resistance when he guided him to the bathroom. He cleaned the youth's face and hands with water and a soft cloth; and then helped him to change into comfortable pyjamas. Tygra moved mechanically and didn't utter a sound. Bengali took him to the bed and tucked him inside the covers. Tygra curled and made a protective cocoon around himself. Bengali sighed and left him be. He exited the room quietly, praying that the young prince was more responsive the next day.

Once he sensed he was alone, Tygra let go a wrenching sob. He was ashamed of himself. He felt dirty and humiliated. If this was going to be his life, it was better to be dead. The tears started to run freely down his cheeks, and he cried silently until he fell asleep from exhaustion.


	2. Chapter 2

**WARNINGS:** This contains Slash, and abuse, as well as clear mentions of rape, not graphic but still there. It is dark and treats delicate themes. Do not read if you don't like it.

***Disclaimer:** I don't own Thundercats, or any character or event associated to it, and I'm not making any money from this fiction.

CHAPTER 02. STEPS INTO A NEW LIFE.

Morning came, and Tygra was furious with himself. He wasn't a bloody cub damn it! And he had cried and begged like a four years old! What had happened hadn't even warranted his show of distress! He hadn't been actually hurt, only treated like… like a whore. He felt like hitting himself. He had been so weak. He had allowed an irrational fear to control him! He was totally and completely humiliated, and he refused to go down to breakfast. In no way he was showing Jareid's mark to Lion-O, or anyone for that matter! There were no clothes in his closet that would entirely hide the hideous mark, so he was not coming out in public. The sodding bastard wanted to show off his prize, well he could fucking forget it! He was not a thing! And he most certainly wasn't some sort of toy for Jareid's amusement!

He tried to refuse Bengali when the white tiger arrived with a light breakfast to his room. He was deeply embarrassed for the way he had acted in front of his guard, and couldn't help but feel ashamed that someone had seen him in that deplorable state. However, the white tiger was having none of it. He practically forced Tygra to eat, pointing out that he needed to keep his strength and threatening with letting Lion-O into the room to keep him company. He assured Tygra that there was nothing to be ashamed of, and that it was understandable that he was a bit off after technically loosing his home and been forced into a difficult situation like the one he was in.

The tiger prince caved, and even let himself to accept some of the comfort that Bengali was offering. He'd never accept it out loud, but he needed the reassurance. He felt lower than dirt at the moment, and the kind words of the older tiger actually made him feel better.

He had been prepared to just stay forever in his room, like the prisoner he actually was, but it was not to be. Just after midday, the king in person came to visit. He seemed amused at Tygra's little rebellion, and looked particularly pleased at the mark on the teen's neck. Nonetheless, he pointed out, in no uncertain terms, what was expected of the young tiger. He also made clear that while he understood that the Thunderian prince might need some time to adjust to his new life, it was not an excuse to dismiss his responsibilities. In short, Tygra was not allowed to hide in his room to wallow in self-pity. There were still official meetings to be done, and protocol to follow. He was to be presented to the clan's elders and the rest of the council. Then attend the official announcement of his impeding mating to the people in general, and the mandatory celebration. There was no time for self-pity.

Tygra listened to the king with tightly pressed lips and clenched fists, trying to keep himself in check, and not explode in desperation and misery. King Baal put a finger under his chin, subtly commanding him to look upwards.

"I know that my son is not the gentle type. He has always been brass and obnoxious. My fault, for allowing him to be spoiled. He's not exactly used to take in consideration others' necessities. He takes what he wants, and is very aggressive when he's denied. I know that it'd be hard to deal with him and his overwhelming personality, but you have a duty to perform young prince. It'd be a good idea to get used to your mate's ways."

Tygra blinked. An errant tear escaped his eyes without him noticing and Baal's sight hardened at the blatant display of the teen's distress. Tygra's voice however was as steady as always, only quieter.

"Yes sir."

The king nodded in approval. It'd take time, but the prince already knew how to conduct himself and was not going to be an embarrassment to the family. He only needed to get firmly on his feet again, and find something to focus. His brother was supposed to help make the transition easier, maybe he'd consider to leave them both in the same room for a while.

"Bengali will help you to get ready for the afternoon. It's for the best that we get all the inane protocol done as soon as possible. That mark in your neck needs to be in plain view, understood?"

"Yes sir. I understand."

"Good. If you are able to put on a decent show you and your brother are going to be allowed a modicum level of freedom in the palace. If you pass the elders' scrutiny and manage to reach certain standards, you may even be allowed to be part of the kingdom's forces. You do know what that would imply, don't you?"

Tygra's ears perked in interest. That meant that he could be allowed to train again. Maybe even with a weapon. His eyes recovered clarity, and the jaguar smiled at the change.

"I do sir. I'll do my best."

Baal was satisfied. It looked that the tiger had found something that would allow him to stop thinking too much about the mating part of his new life. The king knew that Jareid was going to be a handful, but he was confident that the young tiger could take his son's rough treatment, maybe even take Jareid's ego down to earth a peg or two. Baal knew that his son could be caring when he felt like it. If the young tiger could manage to actually get past Jareid's obnoxious front and try to make the best of his situation, he could make things easier for himself.

For the moment it was enough that the Thunderian prince learned to cope with the jaguars nobles, and with his intended's whims. Time would tell if the pressure had been too much for the tiger to handle, but Baal didn't really believe that. The tigers were resilient, the young prince would adapt. The king was hopeful that Tygra would be good for his son. Jareid was too self-centred and envious. He needed to learn some humility and empathy or he wouldn't be a good king. Perhaps the tiger could aid with that.

He left the room giving Bengali instructions to prepare the prince. He indicated that both brothers could have lunch in Tygra's room, but the tiger must be ready for the counsel's meeting at four. Bengali nodded his understanding and stayed with the young prince for the rest of the day.

When night came, Tygra felt much more like himself again. Though he had had to endure Jareid's presence at his side for the entire meeting and subsequent dinner, the jaguar prince had behaved. It had been an official meeting after all, and Jareid had shown his diplomatic and political skill. Tygra had quickly figured the protocol and followed accordingly. He had done fairly well, if he himself said so.

King Baal had been indeed pleased with the young tiger's performance, and had proposed that the brothers would be trained to join the Hunters of the clan. This had been accepted by the majority of the council, confirming that Tygra had given a good impression.

Tygra was pretty excited by the deal. Bengali had explained to him and Lion-O what being a Hunter implied. If they were good, they'd get to go out to the jungle. It'd be a lot of exploring and tracking, and the training was hard.

Both of them also got to continue their preparation to be part of the government. Lion-O was not very happy about that. He'd have preferred to never hear about politics again. Tygra tried to cheer him up, mentioning that maybe in the future he could be allowed to return to Thundera. Someone would eventually have to step into their father's place after all.

Lion-O smiled in acceptance, but noticed that Tygra only mentioned him when talking about returning. That didn't sit well with the young lion. It was as if his brother had already given up on their chances of going back home. Lion-O still believed that their father would think of something to retrieve both of them. He didn't believe that Claudus would ever give up on any one of his sons. They just had to be patient.

Tygra didn't share his brother's confidence. But then again, he was older, and understood politics a little better. He had always known, in some hidden recess of his mind, that if forced to choose between his two sons, Claudus would keep his lion. To have that particular belief confirmed had hurt, but Tygra had understood. In the same way that he understood that if there was any chance of Claudus finding a loophole that allowed one of them to return to Thundera, it'd be for Lion-O.

But there was no need to explain the intricacies of kingship and bloodlines to his little brother. He'd understand in his own time. For now, they were looking forward to a new training, and Tygra to just forget the _other_ part of his deal at least for some moments a day.

Lion-O had been told that he could stay in his brother's room for as long as he wanted, but he knew Tygra well enough to know that the tiger wouldn't appreciate him staying to sleep. The prince would see it as mothering, and he considered himself to be too old to need any kind of mothering or any other show of concern from his little brother. In Tygra's mind he should be the one to give confidence and comfort, not Lion-O.

The lion prince didn't agree with his brother. He knew that Tygra needed some measure of comfort. A hug once in a while wouldn't kill him. But his brother was stubborn, so Lion-O would have to be sneaky. He may be having a nightmare one night, so he could get into Tygra's bed and share the comfort without his brother thinking he wanted to mother him. He wondered if Tygra would hear him waking up should he really have a nightmare. Their rooms were not so far apart, after all.

The servants however, seemed to think that they were going to spend the night in the same room, because both disappeared around ten, leaving the two brothers to their own devices. Tygra was lounging lazily on the bed, while Lion-O was sitting at the small table, looking at a book on technology that Xiao had given him, and talking animatedly about it.

The tiger was amused at his brother's not so subtle attempt to stay with him, and was wondering if he should send Lion-O to his room, while the lion was pretending not to notice the time. Tygra was about to just let his brother spend the night with him, when the door to his room opened, and in came Jareid.

Tygra bolted upright and stood at the bedside, wide eyes looking fearfully at his unexpected visitor. The jaguar looked pointedly at the young lion, who immediately abandoned his chair and sat on the bed, beside his brother. He was determined to not leave Tygra's side, but the tiger looked at Jareid's eyes and just knew that the prince was going to do whatever he had come to do, no matter who else was present.

Tygra didn't want his little brother to be witness to his humiliation. Besides, there was no telling what Jareid would do to Lion-O if the youngest teen decided to put himself in the jaguar's way. Tygra wasn't going to risk his brother getting hurt over a lost cause. He tried to compose his voice, so it wouldn't give away his fear when he talked to the lion.

"Lion-O, it's late. Go to sleep."

The young lion turned to look at him with recrimination. He held Tygra's hand and shook his head stubbornly.

"No. I'm not leaving you."

Jareid smirked in amusement. He approached the brothers confidently, his smirk widened at the obvious fear in his tiger's eyes.

"I have no problem with the kit staying. If he behaves he's more than welcome to watch."

Tygra swallowed, and his hand rested for a moment on his brother's shoulder blades, pushing slightly.

"No. Lion-O, please leave."

He tried to sound firm, but couldn't eradicate the desperation in his voice. Lion-O's eyes widened upon noticing it, and glared at the jaguar. He was sure that the older cat was doing something to his brother, hurting him somehow. The young lion had seen the mark on his brother's neck, but had not commented on it, seeing how embarrassed Tygra had been the entire day, to the point to stay in his room until he had had no other choice. The tiger was very active, and hated to be confined. Lion-O could clearly see that Tygra's attempt to hide in his room had been all Jareid's fault. He couldn't leave his brother with the jaguar. He didn't want to.

But Tygra insisted again, pushing Lion-O more firmly towards the door. His brother didn't want him to witness whatever was about to happen, and the smirk in Jareid's mouth didn't promise anything good. Lion-O looked at his brother one more time, and Tygra mouthed a final please. The kit lowered his head, and against his better judgment, left the room. He glared at the jaguar's back before crossing the threshold, but the cat never looked back at him, eyes now completely focused on the tiger.

Once he heard the door sliding open and close, and sure that his brother was no longer in the room, Tygra jumped away from Jareid's reach. He went over the bed and stood at the other side, calculating his next move. He was not going within arms' reach from the jaguar. He didn't want the older cat's paws over him. He knew he had little to no possibility of escaping, but he'd be damned if he didn't even try.

Jareid looked at the younger prince in amusement, and his hearty laugh filled the room.

"So, my little tiger, want to play cat and mouse? You don't have enough space to run."

If he could reach the door, he'd have a possibility. He didn't know the castle, but he could manage to find a place to hide. With that in mind, he darted to the left and dodged Jareid's attempt at grabbing him, using the room's furniture as obstacles between the two of them. He was close to make it. Tygra was very agile and he was counting on that to avoid capture. He only needed to keep what little advantage he had on Jareid until he could get past the door.

Unfortunately, he wasn't familiar with the jaguar's speed. Jareid was fast, and agile too. He caught Tygra's arm just seconds before the teen touched the commands of the door, and pulled. Tygra yelped and hit the floor with force. He tried to stand up quickly, ignoring the pain, but Jareid was already over him. The jaguar's entire body pined his smaller form to the floor, face down, giving him no space to move. Big paws grabbed his wrists and pulled them forcibly behind his back, a knee pressed down his tailbone as Jareid repositioned himself, and Tygra couldn't suppress a distressed cry at the pain.

Jareid moved quickly. With only one hand he secured Tygra's wrists to the teen's lower back, the other grabbed the slender neck and pushed it against the floor. The knee at Tygra's tailbone stayed there, and he stabilized himself with his other knee firmly on the floor. The tiger attempted to fight his hold, trying to get leverage with his legs. Jareid's claws sunk into the teen's neck and he moved his knee in such a way that he nearly crushed the tiger's tailbone, eliciting another anguished cry from his victim. Tygra stopped moving, but remained tense. Jareid continued moving his knee, putting most of his weight on it, until Tygra finally screamed in pain.

"OW! Please! Please stop! Ow!"

Jareid smirked in triumph. He put his entire weight on Tygra's body for good measure, and then stood, pulling the tiger with him. He reasserted his hold, freeing the teen's wrists, while with his arm he surrounded the slender body, trapping the tiger's arms, and pulling the unresisting form against his own body. His left hand still grabbed the delicate neck, now from the front. He lifted Tygra from the floor quite a few centimeters in order to reach the stripped ears with his mouth.

"Not very nice of you, my tiger, to try to avoid me. But I always enjoy a bit of play."

He nibbled Tygra's ear and kissed away a tear. Tygra tried to control his sobs and remain quiet, but when Jareid bit his neck again, precisely on his mark, he couldn't stop a pained mewl. He felt so helpless and useless at that moment. He couldn't stop Jareid from doing anything he wanted. His only hope was that the elder prince grew tired of the game and left him alone. Jareid however, continued his assault, playing with the boy's body until he had him repressing purrs while sobbing in misery.

When he finished, he turned the tiger around and kissed his mouth possessively. Tygra did an effort to just open his lips and not gag. The moment Jareid let him go, he collapsed on the floor, his legs just denied to support him. He was shaking, wondering what else Jareid would want to do to him.

The jaguar lifted his trembling body and carried him to the bed. Tygra couldn't move. He felt like his extremities were numb. Jareid was over him and kissing his mouth again, nearly asphyxiating him. He finally let go and started sniffing the teen's cheeks and neck.

"You taste and smell delicious my little tiger. I can't wait to have you naked in my bed for the entire night."

Hands were under his clothes, and Tygra held his breath. He started chanting a string of _Nos_ in his head. His sobs grew louder as he tried unsuccessfully to deny what was happening. After long moments of torture, Jareid's breath was at his right ear.

"Soon, my prince. For now I'd be dreaming of you."

A last kiss, and suddenly Jareid's weight was gone. Tygra stayed still for a few confused seconds, barely registering the sound of the door. Then, he opened his eyes, wondering when exactly he had closed them, and looked cautiously around. He was alone.

He couldn't stop his crying any longer. He curled on his side, and bit the pillow to muffle his scream. He was pathetic. He couldn't even defend himself. How was he expecting to protect his little brother in that place? He was completely useless.

And he felt dirty.

Summoning his strength, he managed to overcome his fear-induced weakness and stood on shaky legs. He made his way to the bathroom. He needed to get rid of Jareid's smell, among other things.

* * *

Lion-O waited outside of his brother's room, pressing his ear against the door to try and hear something. The rooms however, were soundproof. The kit couldn't hear anything. He passed back and fort on the corridor, unsure of how to proceed. He wanted to return to his brother's side, but Tygra had _pleaded_ him to go away. He clearly had not wanted the lion there while Jareid was in the room.

After a while, he decided to go to his own room. He'd change into his pyjamas and pick a book. He was going to wait for the jaguar prince to get out of his brother's room, and then he'd go back in. He needed to be sure that Tygra was fine. They were alone in that place, and they had to take care of each other. He couldn't let his big brother to shoulder that weight all by himself.

Despite his best efforts, Lion-O fell asleep curled over his book. He had been sitting on the floor at the entrance to his room, with the door just the barest bit open, so he could hear when Jareid would go. He had figured out how to work the commands of the door to his liking, and he felt very proud of it.

The cold, and the uncomfortable position he was in, woke him up some time in the night. He looked around confused and disoriented, and felt his cramped muscles protest the movement. He groaned in discomfort as he uncurled himself, and massaged his sore limbs. It was dark, but he could feel the breeze that entered the room through the slid open at the entrance. He wondered for a moment why he wasn't in his bed, and then he remembered. His brother. He had to go to his brother.

Ignoring his stiff legs, he opened the door completely and walked towards Tygra's room. He didn't know how long he had slept, but everything was dark and quiet, so he supposed that it was very late, and Jareid should be gone by then.

He knocked before entering, hoping to listen to his brother's annoyed voice at being perturbed. That would in a way reassure the kit that Tygra was unharmed. He waited for long minutes, but there was no sound from the other side of the room. Remembering belatedly that he wouldn't be able to hear anything, even if Tygra had answered, he cautiously opened the door.

It was darker inside the room than in the hallway, but Lion-O could distinguish his brother's silhouette on the bed. The tiger was sitting with his legs pulled against his chest, and his head on his crossed arms, much like Lion-O had been minutes ago. The kit wondered why his brother wasn't lying down and closed the door. He walked quietly towards the bed, careful to not trip with anything. Even in the dark, the room gave the impression of being messy. A feeling of dread entered him. The room had been in perfect state when he had left.

The lion stood for a moment at the bedside, and called to his brother.

"Tygra?"

The tiger didn't move. Lion-O was starting to really worry. He climbed on the bed and shook his brother's shoulder.

Tygra bolted upright and scooted out of Lion-O's reach. The lion listened to the rapid intakes of breath of his brother, and scowled. He wished he had turned on the lights.

"Tygra? Are you ok?"

The tiger recognized the voice of his brother, and shook his head to clear it. He had been having a very bad dream, and his muscles were resenting the position he had fallen asleep in.

"L-Lion-O? What are you doing here?" His voice sounded a bit raspy, but fortunately free of any hint of panic. Lion-O felt encouraged.

"I'm sorry, I woke up and couldn't sleep again."

His brother didn't lie very well. Even in the dark, Tygra knew that the lion was there to check on him. He sighed and rubbed his eyes with one hand. The fur on his head still felt a bit damp but he was dry enough to get under the covers comfortably. He was starting to feel cold anyway.

"You were worried, weren't you? Lion-O, I'm fine."

The young lion shrugged and ducked his head. Tygra reached up to him and messed his mane.

"All right, you can stay. But don't kick me in your sleep, ok?"

"I never kick!"

Both cats got under the covers, and Lion-O held on tightly to Tygra. The tiger let him, a rare occurrence by itself, but he was very put out by his current situation, and just needed to feel safe in some way.

He caressed his brother's mane in a soothing motion, and felt as Lion-O's breath became regular and quiet, the small arms around him loosened their tight hold as the lion fell asleep.

Tygra sighed. He had to be strong. His little brother needed him. He had to remain controlled, no matter what Jareid could do to him. He'd never let the jaguar touch Lion-O. And he wasn't going to just submit at the older prince's wishes. He was going to fight back. He was not a young kit anymore, and even when he was scared of Jareid he'd do his best to not collapse in desperation anymore. He just hoped he could actually live up to his own promises.

* * *

A week passed by relatively fast. Tygra and Lion-O started their lessons under one of the most prominent council members of the clan. Soon it was evident that politics and economy held no appeal for Lion-O. The young lion was instead pretty excited by the prospect of learning everything he could about technology, even if it was only history. After the first two days of lessons, their teacher could see that Tygra was by far a better student than Lion-O, at least in the subjects required to government. But instead of complaining to the king and comparing the lion to his brother every step of the way, like all their previous instructors had done, he suggested that Lion-O would be allowed to be instructed by one of their senior engineers, making relevance of the apparent affinity the boy had for mechanics. His suggestion was accepted, and Lion-O was introduced to maths, drawing, physics and geometry, all of them important to understand and learn Cybernetic and Design Engineering.

The lion was still required to learn the basics of politics and other theory based subjects, but the time devoted to them was drastically reduced. Likewise, he was not to be trained as a Hunter, or any kind of warrior. His training would be focused on hand-to-hand combat and shooting. There would be swordsmanship, but considerably less intensive. Tygra thought that it'd be too much for his brother, but the lion was over the moon. At the end of the week, the tiger could see that Lion-O was much happier studying, and talked animatedly about his lessons and praised his teacher, something that he never had done before, not even when the teacher had been Jaga himself.

For the first time, Tygra could see the restrictions that being the crown heir had put on his little brother. The young lion had been forcing himself to act as something he wasn't to please their father. Always falling short when the court and people in general compared him to Tygra. Now, without such expectations placed on him, he was free to be whatever he wanted and no one would fault him for it.

The tiger was happy for his brother. He had something to look forward to, and he'd be able to get over the loss of their previous life at Thundera. Lion-O still missed the palace, and their father, but he had many distractions that were helping him to bear with the change.

Tygra was also taking advantage of the load of work he had to do. Between lessons and training there was little time to think about anything else. But now and then, his future mate intruded in his activities and forced him to remember.

He dreaded Jareid's night visits. The jaguar never failed to appear in his room, and force him to endure the older cat's touch and whatever sick sexual game of power Jareid was playing at. He was trying to be strong, and during the day he did his best to act as if nothing was happening, but at dinnertime he felt a ball of fear tightening in his stomach. Still, he kept quiet, because he knew that talking and attracting attention on the matter wouldn't do him any good. No one was going to stop Jareid. He was his future mate, and as such he was expected to accept whatever treatment the jaguar wanted to give to him.

He'd have gone crazy if not for Bengali. The white tiger had provided a crying shoulder for him. He had listened to the youth's rambling, and offered understanding, comfort, and whatever encouragement was appropriate under the circumstances. He had also helped the tiger with Lion-O. After what had happened the second night, Bengali had made sure to take the lion out of his brother's room before Jareid arrived, and left him sleeping in his own bed. So far, Lion-O had waked up just one more time and gone to check on his brother. Tygra was grateful that the lion wasn't witnessing the emotional mess Jareid was turning him into. In that aspect at least he felt that he had been successful.

But Lion-O was not blind. He didn't know what was happening in his brother's room at night, but knew that his brother was hurting in a way he couldn't help with. He was not as innocent as to not know what a mating implied, and he had guessed that Tygra's unusual lack of confidence had a lot to do with that. But he was under the belief that Jareid wasn't allowed to actually touch his brother in any sexual way until they were officially mated. So, he was wracking his head, thinking about what could be going on. His entire experience with royalty were his father and his big brother, neither one would ever abuse their power, so it was hard for the lion to think that someone would.

Therefore, Lion-O tried to cheer up his brother talking about his lessons, and getting him to demonstrate some of his training with the Hunters. Tygra humoured him, but the lion could see the sadness in his brother's eyes, sadness that transformed into fear whenever Jareid was within eyesight. And it was getting worse every day.

By the end of the week, Tygra was looking for an excuse to not be in his room at the usual hour. He didn't want to face Jareid, and he felt ashamed of himself for it. Really, thinking it rationally, the minor injuries he had sustained had been a result of his fighting. If he could just swallow his pride, force himself to lie still, and just let the jaguar prince… use him… however he saw fit.

But that was the problem. He felt used. Like some pretty toy which only purpose was its owner's amusement.

Tygra was very young. His limited sexual experience had certainly not included intercourse, much less a male companion, but he had heard and asked enough to know it hurt. And Jareid's rough handling was only cementing that belief. He was scared. And on top of that he felt violated. He had had no illusions about any kind of caring from his future mate. After all, the only reason they were going to be mated was to honour a peace treaty between their kingdoms. He had known he'd be denied any possibility of a loving companion the moment king Baal had stated his request for peace. Still, some little bit of consideration for his person would have been welcome.

The tiger was upset, and bitter. He didn't want to mate. He didn't want to be there. He wanted to return home, but he knew that it'd never be possible. He wanted to escape his future somehow, specially that night.

He was terrified of the night.

As the evening progressed, Tygra couldn't help but think about what could be in store for him in his room. The previous night had been horrible. The tiger took a hand to his neck, massaging his throat and jaw in remembered pain. Jareid had forced him to his knees, and had demanded a blowjob from him. He had never done that, and he had refused. Jareid had forced a ring gag into his mouth, giving him no choice but to keep it open, and had technically oral-raped him. Later, he had put Tygra on the bed, and had "returned the favour." It could have felt good, if not for the fact that Tygra had been terrified, and still fighting to breath normally.

A few tears escaped Tygra's eyes and the teen rubbed them off furiously. He wasn't going to show his weakness to the rest of the world. He couldn't bear that humiliation in addition to the many others that Jareid had been inflicting on him.

Bengali's voice pulled him out of his thoughts for a moment.

"Prince Tygra. It's time for dinner. You should be inside."

The orange tiger sighed. He was still in the training courtyard, trying to drive himself into exhaustion so he would just _stop_ thinking. He didn't want to enter the dinning hall. His day had been blessedly free of Jareid, and he wanted to stretch it for as long as he could.

"I'm not really hungry Ben. I'm staying here just a little bit longer."

Bengali looked at him worriedly. He knew how hard it was for the teen to deal with prince Jareid. Besides, the jaguar wasn't making it any easier with his attitude.

Bengali had tried to talk with the cat, but the last had refused to see reason and give the young tiger some space. He was acting as if Tygra was already his and completely used to him. He couldn't see how much harm he was doing to the young cat. He insisted on treating the teen as he would an adult who enjoyed the same twisted games that him. He wasn't taking into account that Tygra had barely left childhood, and was in no way emotionally equipped to deal with the trauma of loosing his home while being subjected to Jareid's demanding sexual needs.

Bengali wanted to hit his foolish prince on the head until he could make him understand that he couldn't treat Tygra like an object. He was sure that the teen wasn't telling him everything that Jareid did to him. For example, Tygra had not yet talked about the previous night, and he was evidently delaying going into the castle for as long as he could. On top of that, Bengali had caught on that the younger tiger scratched his arms, rather vigorously, at odd moments, apparently without noticing it. He had asked Lion-O if his brother had had that particular habit in Thundera, and the kit had answered in the negative. The white tiger was starting to get really worried. He would approach the king on the matter, because prince or no prince Jareid had no right to do just whatever he wanted to Tygra. The teen was to be his mate, not a pet or an exotic decoration!

Tygra noticed the older tiger's reluctance to leave him alone, and sighed.

"I'm fine Ben. I'm not going to die of starvation because I missed a dinner. Please make sure that Lion-O goes to sleep?"

Even when Lion-O had his own personal guardian, Tygra felt much better knowing that the white tiger also looked out for his little brother. Xiao had other tasks around the palace, but apparently Bengali's sole duty was to look after the Thunderian princes' needs. The servant gave his own suffering sigh, and left after making Tygra promise that he'd not be out the entire night. The orange tiger looked at his new friend's retreating back, knowing that the cat would come looking for him again in he wasn't in his room at a decent hour.

Tygra sighed again and started going through the motions of defence and attack with a staff, which he had been previously practicing. He missed his whip. He was planning on asking his trainer if it could be considered an appropriate weapon for a Hunter.

He didn't notice the pass of time. The lights on the courtyard turned on, so he continued to have good visibility. It wasn't until the deep voice, of the very jaguar he didn't want to see, interrupted him that he paused.

"A bit late for training, isn't it little prince?"

Tygra turned around, staff up in a defensive position, to be face to face with Jareid. The cat was looking at him like he was considering eating him.

"You weren't there for dinner."

"Yeah, well, I'm not really hungry."

"And you weren't in your room."

"I didn't know I had a curfew."

He didn't put the staff down, not even when Jareid started to get closer to him. He gave a step back and growled, trying to maintain a safe distance between the two. Jareid eyed the staff and a devious smirk graced his face. Tygra gulped and backed another step.

"Good stance handsome. But do you really want to provoke me?"

No. He really didn't want to. What he wanted was to drive the jaguar away. Stop him from touching him, from being even close to him. His blood was pumping in his temples and he couldn't answer. A low growl vibrated in his chest, and Jareid's eyes glowed.

"Put the weapon down little tiger, before you get hurt."

That irked his pride. How dare the bastard? Tygra hissed in unconscious warning, feeling the fur on the back on his neck and arms rise. Jareid's eyes hardened, and the inflection of his voice changed from patronizing to one of command.

"Come with me Tygra. Now."

Tygra shook his head. He didn't know what the hell he was doing. He only knew that in no way he was going anywhere with the jaguar willingly. At the moment, his fear and common sense had been drowned by pent up anger and adrenaline. He growled in challenge, and Jareid growled back. The big cat did the first move, trying to grab his staff. Tygra dodged cleanly, and attacked, immersed suddenly in the comfortable rhythm of a fight.

Jareid was surprised that the boy could move so well. He growled again and fell into fighting style. The tiger was getting under his skin. He had dared to actually deny him! Evidently he was in need of a lesson.

Tygra was able to stop the first few movements of his attacker. He was a good student, and he could have been a superb warrior. But he was just learning to handle the weapon he was using. Jareid quickly found an opening, and with a well placed kick to the teen's ribs he sent him to crash on one of the weapon racks.

Tygra was disoriented for a moment. Then he caught sight of a training sword, and he took it. He pulled himself to his feet and reassumed his fighting stance, the more familiar weapon steady in his grip. He could do this. He had trained with Grune, for Jaga's sake! The grizzled veteran had never been easy on his charges. He was ready for anything Jareid could throw at him.

Jareid lifted an eyebrow, a half-amused, half-annoyed expression on his face. The brat was still defying him? He had some guts.

The jaguar took a training sword himself, and charged. This time it was not as easy to get past Tygra's guard. The boy knew how to use the sword, and met Jareid's attack thrust by thrust. The older cat's excitement grew and soon was using his entire force behind his attacks. He was the stronger of the two, but Tygra had his natural agility on his part. He was giving Jareid a run for his money, and actually managed to land a hit or two when the jaguar felt too cocky. But he was still too young to last long in a combat with an adult cat, even one that was not yet at his full growth. After some minutes of clashing swords full force with his opponent, his arms started to complain. Jareid didn't allow him any respite. He continued pushing Tygra to his limits, driving the teen backwards, until he tripped with the discarded staff.

The tiger lost his balance momentarily, and Jareid took his chance to kick Tygra's legs from under him, and send him to the floor. The teen tried to turn around and stand, but a hard blow to his right wrist made him scream and let go of the sword. Jareid took hold of his ankle and pulled, dragging him along the courtyard for a good five meters before grabbing the scruff of his neck and lifting him.

Before Tygra knew what was happening, he was thrown face down over a bench. His hands grabbed the end of the stone bench automatically to prevent himself from falling all the way to the floor again. Rough hands were on him and lifted his behind. Tygra barely had time to panic before unbearable pain coursed through him.

* * *

Jareid had been fairly impressed, if also more than a bit annoyed, at Tygra's fighting skills. The boy had potential. Surely that was what his father had seen when he had proposed the tiger to be trained. He'd be a valuable part of their forces.

The jaguar had enjoyed winning, and much more the satisfying fuck after it. Granted, it was not how he had planned to take the boy for the first time. He had been actually thinking to let the tiger get used to his touch first, make it pleasurable for him. It had been partly Bengali's idea. The white tiger had been insisting that he should be more considerate towards his young fiancé. Jareid had lost count of the times that Bengali had told him that a bit of tenderness was not going to kill him. Even when the jaguar really believed that such delicate treatment was ridiculous, - they both were males for the gods' sake - he had accepted that Tygra was still a boy, and maybe would require some patience from him.

But the truth was that he had lost himself in the exhilaration of the fight. The little tiger was so enticing, full of anger and determination. Suddenly, it had become imperative for Jareid to state his dominance over the younger cat, to claim him as his. It had been purely instinctual, but nonetheless delicious. Tygra had been too tight around him, it had caused a bit of pain, but the pleasure had been worth it. He had been so focused on his own satisfaction that he hadn't noticed he had hurt the boy. It wasn't until he had lied Tygra down, and started to kiss and groom him, more than ready to have another go, that the smell of blood registered in his brain. With it came the realization that the teen wasn't moving. Tygra's sobs were still shaking his torso once in a while, tears still ran down his cheeks, but he was unnaturally silent.

Curious, Jareid looked directly into the young tiger's eyes. Brown, glazed eyes that were open, but definitely unseeing.

The jaguar checked his betrothed's entire body. He had many bruises, caused by both the fight and Jareid taking him over a stone bench. The important injury though was internal. Tygra was bleeding, not exaggeratedly but still bleeding. Jareid frowned, unsure of how to proceed. Surely he had not hurt the teen that much?

He went to the bathroom, and procured himself a wet towel. Then, he got Tygra out of his clothes, and cleaned him thoroughly. The tiger still wouldn't make a sound, or even move. Jareid took his time, debating if he should call Bengali. The white tiger would be able to tell him how badly was Tygra injured. Then he decided he'd wait 'till morning. The bleeding had apparently stopped, and Tygra would have the night to rest and assess how much he was hurting afterwards. Jareid didn't think it was serious. He felt that he had dealt enough with the young tiger to know that the boy wasn't as delicate as Bengali believed. He'd cope with whatever pain Jareid had unwisely caused and move on.

One thing stood to his attention though. Tygra's arms were significantly more bruised than the rest of him, and Jareid was sure that he had not caused the claw marks along the tiger's slim arms. Perhaps that had been the one thing he had been careful about, he had consciously retracted his claws every time he grabbed the teen by the arms. The only places that should have Jareid's claws' marks were the boy's neck and hips. And certainly not slashes, there should be only punctures. Additionally, there were some bites, one of them fresh. Tygra should have bit himself while Jareid was claiming him in order to keep silent. That led Jareid to believe that the claw marks had also been self-inflicted. He'd report that to Bengali.

For the moment, he redressed Tygra in a set of pyjamas, and tucked him comfortably in the covers. The boy's eyes were still open, but he remained unresponsive. Jareid really didn't know what to do of that, so he let the tiger be.

He kissed the youth's head possessively before going.

"Get some sleep my little tiger. Tomorrow you'd feel much better."

He got out of the room quietly, but he had just started his way to his own sleeping quarters when he found himself face to face with Bengali. The white tiger was apparently in his own quest to make sure that Tygra had returned to his room. Jareid gave him his cocky smile at once.

"Prince Jareid. I see you're coming out from your betrothed's bedroom."

The tiger was scowling disapprovingly at him. The loyal servant had always made his displeasure at Jareid's night activities clear. The jaguar rolled his eyes. How inappropriate could it be that he visited his fiancé? The boy was as good as mated to him anyway. Besides, the family had made sure to tell him that he should be spending quality time with the Thunderian prince. Granted, maybe his father had not had the kind of quality time that Jareid preferred in mind, but the message was in essence the same.

"Yes Bengali. Tygra is sleeping now, he needs the rest."

Then he looked back at the teen's door. Maybe it'd be wise to tell the white tiger. He was no healer, and really had no idea of the seriousness of Tygra's injuries. He was sure it wasn't life threatening, but perhaps an assessment by an expert would be best.

Bengali's frown deepened. Was that worry in the prince's face? That couldn't be good. The next words uttered by the jaguar put the tiger more at edge.

"Listen, I do need you to check him out. First thing tomorrow. Just to make sure."

"To make sure of what? What happened?" Bengali had a very bad feeling. Jareid looked embarrassed for a moment, and that alone was enough to send the tiger into near panic.

"I might just have miscalculated my own force. But I'm sure it's nothing serious."

Oh, dear celestial gods. That wasn't something Bengali had wanted to hear. Now he was completely worried.

"Jareid, what did you do?"

The jaguar shrugged, and Bengali noticed that he was pointedly looking the other way.

"He was training, I dropped by. He challenged me. We fought. I won, and well, I couldn't resist. I just had to claim him right there."

Bengali was speechless. Tygra had been so not ready for that!

"You… You what? Jareid how could you?! I told you to slow down! Tygra was already scared enough, I told you to be more considerate!"

"Hey! I am within my rights to do whatever I want! He's mine Bengali!"

"He's not a bloody thing! Can't you understand that? He was not ready! And I know you well enough to be sure that you hurt him badly!"

"I didn't…! Look, I might have gotten carried away, but he's not about to die! He's not bleeding anymore!"

"Not blee…!? You self-righteous bastard!"

Bengali pushed Jareid out of the way and hurried to the younger prince's room. As soon as he entered, he smelled the air. There was a slight odour of blood, barely distinguishable but still there. Bengali growled and approached the bed. Tygra was lying on his side, Bengali turned on the lights to see him better.

"Prince Tygra? Do you hear me? Tygra?"

The youth was not responding. Bengali checked his vitals quickly, and decided that Tygra was in shock. Not surprising. He couldn't even imagine what could have happened. He put the covers to the side, and started a quick check up. A small dark spot on Tygra's pyjama bottoms confirmed his suspicions that, in spite of Jareid's assurances, the young cat was still bleeding. Thankfully it wasn't a lot of blood, but he'd had to do a conscious check up to be sure.

First, he went to the bathroom to get the medicines, and other necessities that he had left there to help Tygra with his bruises. He'd need to disinfect the wounds and maybe give the teen a strong painkiller. Then he returned at the youth's side, noticing that Jareid had entered the room, and was looking at the proceedings with interest and maybe just the slight hint of worry.

He moved Tygra's body, so the teen was on his stomach, and pulled the bottoms down. Evidently, Jareid had taken the care to clean the young cat. That at least was something. Bengali pulled Tygra's ass cheeks apart and began a very intimate examination.

There was more blood. The white tiger frowned, and cleaned Tygra as much as he could with a wet cloth. He'd need to feel. He opened a bottle of special ointment and coated his fingers in it. He had put that particular bottle in the bathroom hoping against hope that he'd never get to use it. He shook his head and sighed. Tygra whimpered quietly, but remained still. Bengali felt around, he was not liking it at all. Tygra started to sob, and new tears filled his eyes. After a few moments, Bengali retired his fingers and covered Tygra with his pyjamas again. With a serious face, he stood up and started to lift the teen. Jareid almost jumped on him.

"Wait, Bengali. What are you doing?"

"He needs stitches. I can't tend to him here. I'm taking him to the healing wing."

"Stitches? Are you serious?"

If Bengali didn't know better he'd say that his prince was afraid. He huffed at the other cat while he secured Tygra in his arms.

"Yes Jareid, stitches. The wounds you inflicted are in fact that severe, and it's going to be very painful for him for the next couple of days."

Jareid felt the blood draining from his face. He'd never thought he could have hurt his young tiger that seriously. Bengali gave a couple of steps in the door's direction, and Jareid intercepted him.

"Give him to me. I'll carry him."

Bengali steeped back, and almost growled. He stopped himself in time, and contented himself with glaring at the jaguar.

"No Jareid. I think you'd done enough. He needs to recover. And it'd be better if you're not around for him to do it."

He sidestepped the baffled jaguar, and took Tygra out of the room. Jareid looked in concern at the retreating form, feeling for the first time in years ashamed of himself.


	3. Chapter 3

**WARNINGS:** This contains Slash, and abuse, as well as clear mentions of rape, not graphic but still there. It is dark and treats delicate themes. Do not read if you don't like it..

***Disclaimer:** I don't own Thundercats, or any character or event associated to it, and I'm not making any money from this fiction.

**CHAPTER O3. PICKING UP THE PIECES.**

Tygra woke to the smell of medicine and antiseptic. He blinked, trying to shake sleep off his eyes. Wherever he was, it wasn't his room. The faint smell of sex that seemed to permeate his bedroom was noticeably absent. He savoured the different air for short moments before starting to worry about why exactly he wasn't in his quarters. He pushed himself up to better inspect where he was, and pain in his lower regions made him gasp. He groaned as he lay down again. It seemed as if every one of his muscles was in pain. It forced him to remember what had happened.

The horror of the situation fell down on him. Tygra closed his eyes and felt tears starting to form. He turned on his side. The constant pain on his behind guaranteed that he couldn't just close himself to the world and ignore what had happened. He vaguely realized that he must be in the healer wing, with the shamans. He had learned that the shamans were pretty much the equivalent to the clerics. Mages and healers all in one. He must have been badly injured for Jareid to not just leave him where he had been. Or maybe the jaguar had, and some other cat had found him.

Sadness was suddenly overcome by deep embarrassment, and Tygra sobbed in misery. How many people had realized? At the very least the shamans would now be aware of the dynamics between him and the jaguar prince. Tygra shuddered to think about what would be said about him. Whatever semblance of privacy that he had wanted to retain would be gone.

He heard a door opening and braced himself to face whoever was going to check on him. He hadn't been expecting the familiar voice of Bengali, but that was exactly what he got.

"Prince Tygra? Are you awake?"

The tiger looked up in surprise at the servant. He was at a loss of words for some seconds, before relief at not been facing a complete stranger settled in. Though shame at his situation immediately followed.

"B-Ben."

The white tiger smiled at him.

"Good to see you are responsive. How are you feeling?"

That did it. Tygra knew that Bengali was aware of his injuries, and likely of the way they were inflicted. He dropped his head and tried unsuccessfully to stop the tears that ran freely down his cheeks. Bengali's arms were around him in an instant, and he sobbed in misery. The older tiger hugged him tightly and manoeuvred a little to get him as comfortable as possible. The movement hurt. Tygra whimpered and clenched his fists. Some part of his mind was screaming at him for showing weakness, but he shut it up. He didn't care anymore. He wasn't strong enough to deny himself the small comfort of kind arms. He'd feel ashamed later, but for the moment he allowed Bengali to hold him as he cried his eyes out.

* * *

Tygra looked morosely at the ample green and flowery space some meters below him. His room had a balcony, large enough for a small, square, table and two chairs, and there was still space for him to walk around. It was two stories above one of the gardens. A big one. It was the most exuberant garden Tygra had seen, not only because he didn't know half of the plants growing in it, but also because the paths, columns, fountains, benches and everything else adorning it were made of rare and precious stones. At least that was what they looked like from the balcony. Tygra had not yet worked up the courage to ask, and seeing that for all intents and purposes he was confined to his room for the foreseeable future, he wasn't in the position to go and investigate himself.

He sighed dejectedly. He could hear faint noises from the training courtyard. He wished he could go and join the activity. It had only been a day and a half, and he was already sick of his room. He looked at the table where he had been writing his homework. The books and notes could only distract him for some hours. He wanted to go outside. He looked forwards again and leaned on the balcony railing. Beyond the garden he could see the wall and the outline of the jungle that surrounded the city.

It had been a bit unsettling to discover that they were actually in the heart of the biggest jungle of Third Earth, quite isolated from the rest of the world. Nevertheless, the jaguars had plenty of contact with other animals and settlements, thanks to their technology. The tiger was wondering why Thundera never knew about such a thing. Why had he grown up thinking that technology was a fairy tale?

He continued looking at the green landscape. He was dying of boredom. He thought that forbidding him from doing any activity that required strength was a bit exaggerated, but the healer's directions were clear. He had to take it easy for some days, and the peaks of pain that he still felt whenever he did certain forced movements were a constant reminder of his injury. He couldn't sit comfortably, and he couldn't bear the bed for so long. His diet was another thing he resented. He was limited to soft meals and absolutely no solids for at least a week.

Stitches. He had needed stitches! How such a thing had been possible? He absolutely didn't want to know how Bengali had managed to tend his wounds. He didn't even know if he was grateful or horrified beyond belief that it had been the white tiger the one to heal him. He wished he had discovered that Bengali was a Shaman in other circumstances. Now he could barely look at the white tiger without feeling embarrassment creeping along his entire being. And the worst part was that he had to apply medicinal ointment every night! Tygra couldn't feel more humiliated.

He knew that Bengali understood, and didn't blame him, and he didn't want to push the older tiger away, but he couldn't help it. The only consolation he had was that Lion-O hadn't realized what had happened to him. His little brother knew he had been hurt, but not how.

He sighed, and his right hand moved unconsciously to his left arm, trying to scratch it. His claws however didn't find fur, but the heavy bandages that Bengali had all but forced on him to prevent any more scratching. Tygra groaned in frustration. The bandages covered both arms from shoulders to wrists. Bengali would have even bandaged his hands if he had discovered any self-inflicted claw marks on them. Tygra was very tempted to bite his fingers, but he'd rather retain freedom of movement on his hands. At least the bandages had drawn Lion-O's focus on his brother's visible wounds, and he hadn't asked too much questions, but they denied Tygra an outlet for the anxious feeling that was drowning him.

He settled for pinching his thigh. Hard. It was not the same, but he could just focus on that particular pain and stop thinking about everything else for some precious moments.

"You shouldn't do that. Bengali is going to have a fit if he discovers you."

Tygra almost jumped from the balcony. He turned around wildly and backed off until he was at the very corner of it. The balustrade pressed hard on his hips and he suppressed the need to climb it. He looked at Jareid in fear and bit his lower lip to prevent himself from screaming. He hadn't even heard the door opening. Jareid wasn't supposed to be there! Jareid was never in his room before late evening. Bengali had promised that Jareid had been told to leave him alone for some days, to allow him to recover.

He felt his body began to shake uncontrollably when the jaguar prince advanced two steps towards him. His eyes looked for a way to escape, and he suppressed a flinch when the jaguar scowled at him.

Jareid stopped his advance and growled under his breath. He was not sure what he had been expecting, but the abject terror on the young tiger's face was definitely not it. He clenched his fists, angry at himself for not knowing what to do. Bengali had told him to give Tygra some time, but it was ridiculous. He knew he had hurt the boy, but he wasn't going to fix the situation by disappearing! They were going to spend a lifetime together. The sooner they solved the issue, the better.

He crossed his arms and tried to modulate his voice, not actually realizing how intimidating he looked. He stood a few steps from the teen, blocking the way to the room, but not within grabbing distance. He expected Tygra to realize that he wasn't in danger. He wasn't counting on the boy not thinking rationally in his presence.

"Tygra, I only want to make sure that you are healing."

'_Yes, so you can hurt me again!' _Tygra closed his eyes and bit his lips harder. He was trying to be quiet, to not do anything that could anger the jaguar. Jareid wasn't aware of the teen's struggle, and he didn't like Tygra's apparent denial to answer him. He couldn't suppress the menacing growl this time.

"Answer me, Tygra."

Tygra whimpered in fear. He couldn't talk. If he opened his mouth he was going to either cry or scream. Neither was going to be an acceptable answer, and Jareid was only going to get angrier. He dropped his head and exposed his neck a bit, so Jareid's mark was clearly visible. Short of falling to his knees, he didn't know what else to do to show submission to Jareid.

The jaguar finally realized that Tygra was not being stubborn. The teen was just scared shitless of him.

Normally that was a welcome reaction from others. Jareid had always delighted in the feeling of power that came with the knowledge that his mere presence could provoke such fear. But not this time, and certainly not from someone who was supposed to become his mate. It didn't feel right.

He let his arms fall to his sides and relaxed his posture. His voice had always been too rough, but he tried to soften his tone. He wanted the tiger to relax, not jump over the railing.

"Tygra, I'm not here to hurt you. Look at me."

The tiger opened his eyes and lifted his head cautiously. He was still trembling, and wanted nothing more than to run away. Jareid couldn't erase the scowl from his face.

"Tygra…"

"What are you doing here?"

Tygra's eyes widened in renewed anxiousness. Lion-O was at the door of the balcony, just behind Jareid. The jaguar turned his head towards the intruder, but he didn't miss the tiger's reaction. Lion-O was puffing indignantly.

"You have no right to be here!"

"Really?"

"Lion-O!"

Tygra's anxious shout made Jareid turn to him again. The young lion thought that the jaguar was too close to Tygra, and quickly put himself between Jareid and his brother, glaring at the older cat. Jareid lifted an eyebrow at the little lion's defiant stance. Tygra was doing a visible effort to collect himself. He didn't want his little brother to get hurt on his behalf. Lion-O growled at Jareid and resisted Tygra's pull, when the tiger tried to get him out of the jaguar's way. He was determined to have his say.

"You have no business here! You leave my brother alone!"

"Lion-O, please stop!"

Tygra pulled on his brother's shoulder, and the lion turned to look at him.

"He can't be here! Bengali said you have to rest!"

Tygra swallowed the sob that was forming in his throat. He needed to get his brother under control.

"He can do whatever he pleases Lion-O. It's his home."

"But he hurt you! He can't do that! He has no right to hurt you!"

Tygra pressed his lips together. He had thought that Lion-O didn't know about the nature of his wounds, but maybe he had been mistaken.

"Who told you that? I could have had an accident."

Lion-O looked at him with a face that clearly said. _'Please, do I look stupid?'_

"You? Yeah, maybe when lizards grow feathers. I know it was him, Tygra. It shows in your eyes every time you see him!"

Tygra paled. Damn, but Lion-O had to be observant now? The lion continued his tirade.

"And he can't be here if you don't want him to. You're going to be his mate. He has to respect you!"

The tiger was gaping at his brother. All of a sudden he had the very unwelcome feeling that the lion was the big brother there. He tried to think of something to say, but he noticed Jareid getting closer to them, and he straightened in panic. He pulled Lion-O against himself and hugged him tightly, trying to shield him from the jaguar.

Jareid looked at the lion with some amusement, and then fixed Tygra with serious eyes. The tiger gulped and opened his mouth, ready to plead on his brother's behalf. Jareid took his chin and put a finger on his lips. Tygra automatically froze and tightened his hold on his brother, who was fighting to free himself.

"He'd have made a good king. Pity."

Tygra held his breath. He had no idea what to do. He prayed that Jareid wouldn't decide to have his way with him in front of Lion-O. He whimpered when the jaguar leaned on him, and unconsciously pressed Lion-O's head against his chest. A lone tear fell from his terrified eyes. Jareid sighed. They were practically face-to-face.

"And he's right. You're going to be my mate."

He kissed Tygra's lips softly and then backed off. He couldn't help a smirk at the tiger's baffled face.

"I'd see you later little tiger."

He left the two brothers alone. He needed to think. He had just realized that he didn't want Tygra scared of him. In fact, for the first time ever he was actually interested in whether or not his partner enjoyed being with him. He found that he very much wanted Tygra to feel pleasure with him. Now he just had to think what to do about it.

Tygra looked at the retreating form of Jareid and held his breath for a few moments. He strained his ears to catch the faint noise of the room's door. He continued holding his brother like he was a lifeline until the young lion squirmed.

"Tygra! I have to breath!"

The tiger jumped and released his brother immediately. He looked sheepishly at the scowling lion, and tried to apologize.

"Sorry. I-I… 'm not feeling very well."

His hands were still shaking. He clenched them into fists in an effort to make them stop. Lion-O's scowl changed to a look of worry.

"I know you're not ok. You haven't been yourself since we arrived here."

He took one of his brother's wrists and frowned at the bandages. Then he looked into Tygra's eyes.

"What is he doing to you Tygra?"

Tygra took a deep breath. His heart was about to jump out of his chest. He couldn't answer. There was no way in hell that he'd tell Lion-O the things Jareid was doing to him. He covered his mouth with his right hand, afraid that he'd explode in hysterical laughter. It was that, or cry just as hysterically. He shook his head and did a great effort to collect himself enough to talk.

"L-Look Lion-O, it's ok. There's no need for you to worry…"

"Don't give me that shit Tygra! You're ready to fall apart and it's obvious that you need help! Whatever he's doing to you, it's destroying you! Please, just talk to me Tygra. Let me help you."

"I-I…"

A sob escaped his chest, and Tygra broke. The tears started running down his face, and he couldn't stop them. He sobbed again and sat on the floor, covering his face and trying to curl into himself. Lion-O was at his side in an instant. He felt the small arms of his brother hugging his shoulders and he cried harder. He ignored the pain on his behind as much as he could. It was not important at the moment. He only wanted to die. It wasn't fair. Why it had to be him?

He would have continued crying for hours if not for Lion-O. His brother's presence forced Tygra to try to regain control of himself. He couldn't let Lion-O think he was weak. He had to protect his little brother. He had to be strong. He couldn't be crying like a cub. That was not going to solve anything.

After some moments, he was able to calm down a bit and he straightened his back. Lion-O changed position, so instead of hug his shoulders awkwardly the lion hugged his torso and put the head over his chest. Tygra leaned on a banister and returned the hug. He continued sobbing for a while until he was capable to talk again.

"S-sorry… It was… too much all of a sudden…"

"It's ok Tygra. I'm here with you brother. I'm not going to leave you alone."

A self-deprecating smile ghosted over Tygra's lips. He played with his brother's mane, waiting for the last of his sobs to recede.

"I… I'm supposed to be the oldest… I'm supposed to protect you…"

"I need you Tygra, but that doesn't mean that you always have to be strong. I'm here for you too, you know? We can protect each other, no one expects you to do everything alone, or to suffer in silence. I don't want you to be miserable."

Tygra chuckled and tightened his hug just for a moment. He wanted to stay like that forever, but his ass was killing him. He needed to get up.

With a heavy sigh he messed his brother's mane and released him.

"Thanks Lion-O. I'm sorry I'm a mess right now."

"No problem. As long as you let me help."

The tiger smiled and stood up with some difficulty. He grimaced and couldn't help but groan in pain. He was not supposed to feel his insides. Lion-O's worried scowl reappeared.

"Tygra, are you hurt? What is it?"

The tiger bit his lip for a moment. Then he breathed deeply and straightened.

"It's ok. I think my muscles are cramped."

His lower back was screaming at him. He massaged it and managed to walk normally towards the table. Lion-O still looked suspiciously at him while he collected his work, but after some moments the young lion just offered to help him with his books. Both of them got inside the room, ready to have lunch, Lion-O more at ease about his brother, and Tygra feeling like a small weight had lifted from his heart.

* * *

Tygra looked anxiously as Bengali prepared the tub for a lavish bath. It was late evening, and it had been suggested that Tygra needed something to soothe his pained muscles. He wanted to tell the other tiger to stop, that he didn't want anything. He was even scratching his bandages in the hopes that Bengali realized what a bad idea it was.

Granted, it wasn't the bath what he was protesting against. The idea of a long, relaxing time, was wonderful, and the water was hot and smelt delicious. Tygra was all for the bath, but he wanted to enjoy it alone. As it was, the idea had actually been Jareid's, and the jaguar expected Tygra to share the bath with him!

Tygra didn't want Jareid close to him, much less to be in a tub with a naked jaguar prince! It was not going to be relaxing at all. It was going to be hell!

Bengali finished adding mineral salts into the water and turned on the tub mechanism that'd keep it at a proper temperature. Then he turned to look at the tiger, and scowled in worry. Tygra was terrified, that much was evident. Bengali would have liked to convince Jareid to take a different approach, but alas, his prince just couldn't do subtle, and he had very little patience as it was. The fact that Jareid was actually trying to do something nice for Tygra was remarkable. Bengali would have approved wholeheartedly if not for the timing. Jareid surely chose the worst possible moment to be romantic. Why couldn't he do something like this from the beginning instead of acting like his usual self-righteous asshole? Things would have been much easier if Jareid had just the slightest amount of sensibility in him. He wouldn't have needed to injure Tygra to get into his thick skull that he was doing things the wrong way!

Even at the moment, Bengali still had his doubts about the sincerity of Jareid's suggestion. He rather thought that the Queen had forced her son's hand. He knew that Xilara had talked to Jareid and had been sure to instil in the prince's mind how disappointed she had been at his behaviour. Jareid held his mother's opinion in high respect, so his sudden try at show caring for his intended could be only to placate the Queen.

Nevertheless, Bengali was willing to take Jareid's new attitude at face value for Tygra's sake. The young tiger had no choice in the mater. He was going to spend his entire life mated to Jareid, whether he liked it or not. If Jareid was willing to try and make things easier for Tygra, then Bengali was not going to discourage him.

It was going to be harder to gain Tygra's trust now, but Bengali hoped that his prince's change of heart was genuine. Jareid was going to need every bit of charisma and whatever patience he could manage to get Tygra at least comfortable in his presence.

Bengali approached the orange tiger, who was tearing his arm's bandages to shreds, and held him by his forearms to make him stop.

"Tygra, try to calm down. You're going to be fine."

The teen looked at him with eyes bright from unshed tears. He was trembling. His voice sounded afraid and subjugated.

"Ben, please I don't want to do this."

Bengali groaned to himself and closed his eyes. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't do anything to help his young charge. He had sworn loyalty to Baal and his kingdom when he had begun his apprenticeship. He couldn't disobey a direct order, and Baal had ordered him to follow Jareid's directions in everything regarding the Thunderian princes. He could only refuse Jareid if Tygra's or Lion-O's lives were compromised.

Now, while he could clearly see that the young tiger was just a step from being suicidal, Jareid was not directly threatening his life. The jaguar just lacked empathy and common sense. What he had done to Tygra had not been intended to kill the boy, but he had severely hurt him. Since the greater damage had been emotional, Baal didn't consider it worthy of notice. Baal could be very cold himself, and he'd said that Jareid could do whatever he wanted as far as it didn't infringe the terms of the treaty. Tygra was trapped into an agreement that didn't take his emotional needs into account, and he had no way out. The only thing Bengali could do for him was offer support.

He took the young hands in his, and squeezed comfortingly. He couldn't suppress a sigh.

"I'm sorry Tygra. I know it's hard and unfair to you. Any other would have been able to walk away and be done with the prince. But you don't have that option. You have to stay."

Tygra sobbed and his body shook. He knew it was true. His freedom had been the price to pay for the lives of hundreds of people. Bengali swallowed the bile in his throat. It was not fair for him to remind Tygra of his position, but he didn't know what else he could do to give the young tiger the will to be strong.

"You can try and see it as your duty to your people. To your father, and brother."

The teen sniffed and a lone tear escaped his eye. He nodded resentfully.

"I… know I have to… I know that there's no choice for me, it's just… I-I… I'm just scared… The way he is, the way he… uses me… I-I don't know how to cope with it! He makes me feel like a cheap whore! I just wanted to make him stop, to show him that I'm not a toy! I just wanted to not feel so useless… so helpless…"

A few more tears leaked from the youth's eyes. Bengali dried them and hugged Tygra tightly. He knew it was too much for the young cat. Having to deal with Jareid was no easy feat. The jaguar prince was known for abusing his bed partners. He never showed consideration for others' feelings.

That was the main reason why, despite being the heir, Jareid had never maintained a serious relationship before. Even the most ambitious cats, both males and females alike, didn't last more than a few nights with him. There were a few exceptions, one or two of the nobles that believed to be Jareid's favourites because they were willing to share his bed whenever he called on them. Bengali pitied them. They weren't capable to realize that the prince only used them to satisfy his urges when he couldn't find anyone else. There simply was no one willing to put up with him on a regular basis. Tygra would have no choice. He'd have to take Jareid's abuse and somehow learn to live with it.

"I know you're afraid, and I don't blame you. I know that Jareid is hardly mate-material, but unfortunately he's all you got. You're going to share your life with him. It's not going to be easy, but it doesn't have to be painful either. I know it's unfair to ask this of you, you're still too young and shouldn't be saddled with this responsibility, but real life is hardly fair and we must make the best of it."

He held Tygra's face in a way that the younger tiger was looking directly at him. He looked calmer, but still anguished.

"Right now you only have two options Tygra. To live in misery for the rest of your life, or adapt and try to find some happiness despite what life has thrown at you. Jareid is very much an insensible asshole, but from time to time he has moments when he could be an admirable cat. He's not really good with emotions and feelings; he's more the instinctual type. He can be violent, but he can also learn different ways to deal with his frustrations."

Tygra bit his lower lip and looked resigned. Bengali didn't want the teen to be distraught, and he certainly didn't want him to be miserable. Jareid had done a lot of damage, and they had to repair it somehow or they'd lose the young tiger.

"Look, I know that Jareid hasn't given you any reason to have faith in him, or to even want him around you, but I think he's beginning to understand. This…" He pointed to the bath, that was still hot and smelling of lavender and tea leaves. "He's actually trying to make things better."

Tygra sighed, and Bengali hugged him again.

"I know it's too little, too late. But, just try to give it a chance. Jareid's patience is short, and he'd never have attempted to really court someone. He doesn't know how to be friendly, or mindful of others' feelings. The fact that he's doing something like this, that he's willing to take the time to think of something that would be nice for you, believe me, it shows that he's trying to make it up to you."

Tygra looked at the carefully prepared bath and suppressed a last sob. He'd have to live with Jareid anyway, and Bengali was right. He'd better try to get used to his mate's ways, or his life was going to be an endless nightmare.

He pressed his lips nervously and nodded. He was going to try. It was that or kill himself, and he still wasn't that far gone into desperation.

Bengali gave him a last hug, and told him to get ready. The white tiger handed him a green fluffy bathrobe and put towels and other necessities at hand.

Tygra was just taking off his shirt when the door opened and Jareid made his entrance.

"Well, are you ready yet my little tiger?"

Just hearing his voice made Tygra's fur stand on end. He put his shirt on again, trying to cover himself as much as possible, and automatically looked for a place to hide. Bengali sighed and one of his arms went around the teen's shoulders.

"Breath. Try to be calm, ok? He's not going to hurt you."

Tygra nodded, but he was still trembling. Bengali messed his short mane and then turned to confront Jareid. The jaguar prince was already dressed in his deep blue bathrobe. He gave the white tiger an amused look, and Bengali wanted to punch him.

"My prince, may I have a word with you. We can give Tygra time to compose himself."

Jareid looked at the orange tiger with just the slightest hint of worry. Bengali found that rather encouraging and ushered the prince into the walk-in closet that connected the bathroom with Tygra's bedroom. Once there, it was surprisingly Jareid the one to talk.

"Is he all right? He's not in pain, is he?"

Bengali looked suspiciously at his prince. It wasn't like Jareid to show concern for anyone. He answered cautiously.

"He's as fine as he could be, given the circumstances."

Jareid noticed the tone in the tiger's voice, and turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

"What?"

"I just want to make sure that you're yourself highness."

The jaguar scowled and put his clenched hands on his hips. He showed his teeth at Bengali when he talked.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Ah, that's you right on. For a moment there I was concerned."

Jareid looked at the tiger as if he was seriously considering having the shaman's head checked up. Which was funny, since it was not Bengali the one acting out of character. The white tiger shook his head and got into business.

"Nevermind. Look, Tygra's wound is healing, but he can't do anything strenuous, and I mean anything Jareid! You promised you wouldn't do anything other than to bath. That means you can't have any kind of sexual activity with him."

"Come on Bengali, nothing? Are you sure you are not exaggerating?"

"No, I'm not! It's not only physical health Jareid, he is hovering between depression and hysteria, and his mind is not going to take any more abuse. Unless you want a detached, empty shell for a mate, I suggest you find another way to satisfy your urges for now and don't touch Tygra! Give him some time to recover, he needs to feel that he's not in imminent danger when you're around."

"Imminent danger? I'm not going to kill him for the spirits' sake!"

"Yeah, well your actions weren't at all suggesting safety for him! He had never before had a male sexual partner, he had barely any sexual experience at all! He was terrified because he didn't really know what to expect, and then you came and…!"

"Fine, fine, I get it. I didn't exactly facilitate things. I'm trying to make it better, ok? I swear I'm not going to jump him. He's not going to get anything hurt."

"You better. He's scared enough as it is. He doesn't need another injury, or any more stress."

"I'm going to be careful, I swear. No playing rough tonight. Stop worrying so much. You're not his mother."

"He needs someone to worry. He's not an adult yet."

Jareid chuckled and shook his head. Bengali was like a mother hen, and he had taken a liking to the brothers. In some level, it was logical that he was worrying about Tygra; after all they both were tigers, as far as Jareid knew the only survivors of a lost clan. They'd be considered kin by all instances.

"Fine, you want to worry yourself sick, it's ok with me. As long as you don't interfere."

"I'd like to. Specially after what you did."

Jareid growled in warning. He didn't like to be reminded of his mistakes, and Bengali was very close to overstepping his limits.

"Is that a challenge Ben?"

"No such thing. I'm only making sure you don't forget."

"He's mine! What I do or stop doing only concerns me and my mate!"

"He's not your mate yet. And you'd do well to not take him for granted. He's not a thing you can break and mend whenever you want Jareid, and he feels like that is how you see him."

The jaguar scowled at that. It was true that he usually treated people like things. He didn't see much use in establish any kind of relation with anyone. For every single cat in the city he was the heir, and consequently they treated him like someone beyond their standing. He had been basically taught that everyone not of the royal family was there to serve him. They were inferior so he didn't see why he should care about them. No one deserved his affection, and certainly no one but his family deserved his respect. Bengali had always been the sole exception. The white tiger was a very special case, and the only one that Jareid considered a friend.

He looked at the bathroom door with a pensive expression. Tygra wasn't like the other cats. He was Jareid's mate. The jaguar wanted him with a passion bordering on obsession. He wanted the fire and energy that he had seen the day of their fight. That vibrant fire that had pushed him over the edge and forced him to claim the young tiger. He agreed with Bengali, Tygra was not a thing, but nevertheless he was still Jareid's.

The jaguar nodded to himself, and started towards the bathroom.

"I'd keep that in mind. You can go now Ben."

A hand stopped him. He turned to see Bengali. Blue wide eyes, still full of worry looked back at him.

"Jareid…"

"He's safe with me, I promise. I do learn from my mistakes, you know?"

He smirked, and Bengali rolled his eyes. The shaman let go of his prince's arm and looked as the jaguar crossed the bathroom door, praying that he'd stick to his word and wouldn't hurt the young tiger anymore.

* * *

Tygra was sitting on the toilet seat, looking at the floor. He had taken off his clothes and put on the bathrobe. His hands clenched and unclenched nervously around the fabric, and from time to time pulled the bathrobe more tightly around himself.

He could listen the other cats' voices from beyond the door, but he wasn't really paying attention to what they were saying. He was trying to focus on his breathing and calm himself. It was hard, seeing as everything he could think about was how much he didn't want to get into the bathtub with Jareid. The thing was dug into the floor, with deep blue tiles adorning the perimeter. It was big enough for two people, but they'd have to be in very close proximity. It was going to be impossible to entirely avoid contact. Tygra was praying that the jaguar would change his mind and leave.

After long minutes of waiting, the door finally opened, and Jareid came in. Tygra gulped and forced himself to stand up. He felt his entire body trembling, and did a last effort to collect himself. He was doing this for his city. For his brother. It was his duty, and he was going to honour his father's agreement.

He didn't look up. He was afraid that he'd lose the little resolve he'd managed the moment he'd see Jareid. He felt the jaguar approaching him, and crossed his arms over his chest, trying to make the bathrobe cover him entirely. He was too scared. He was not going to be able to do this.

Jareid grabbed his chin gently, and forced him to look up. Tygra mewled when he saw the frown on the jaguar's face.

"You don't need to be afraid. I promise I'm not going to hurt you, ok?"

The tiger nodded, but didn't relax. Jareid let go of him, and started to disrobe. He wanted the teen in the tub, so the water and the smell of herbs could start to calm him a bit. Tygra looked as Jareid put the bathrobe aside and stepped into the tub. He sat at one side and turned towards the tiger, lifting a hand, quietly commanding Tygra to join him.

The teen pressed his lips together, and tried to force himself to let go of the bathrobe, but his body didn't obey him. He whimpered quietly. He had to do as Jareid said. He couldn't make the jaguar angry. But the idea of being naked in front of the other prince was freezing him. He didn't want to. He felt too vulnerable, far too exposed, he couldn't do it.

Tygra sobbed in desperation. He looked at Jareid and dared to hope that the older cat wouldn't simply force him to disrobe.

"Please…"

He wasn't sure what he was begging for. He felt very much like a little cub at the moment, and only wanted to curl up and cry. Jareid's frown deepened and Tygra couldn't suppress a flinch.

The jaguar looked at the teen and almost growled. He could smell the young cat's fear despite the steam of the bath. He didn't like it, not in that situation. Tygra had to relax, or both Bengali and his mother would have his head.

He was unsure about how to manage the situation. At the moment, Tygra looked so young. Jareid felt like he was talking to the lion cub rather than the tiger. He couldn't just order Tygra to get into the bath already, though he very much wanted to, that would surely make things worse.

His eyes wandered around the bath, looking for inspiration, and he spotted the rack of towels that Bengali had left for them. There was a pair of swimming shorts that Tygra surely hadn't even noticed. Jareid smirked, thinking of the young tiger naked under the bathrobe. It'd be delicious to have him in the bathtub without any clothes. He certainly wanted to enjoy the young, stripped body entirely, but he'd promised to behave. Besides, he now had an inkling of how he could make Tygra more at ease.

Still sitting at the side of the tube, with his legs deep in hot water, Jareid smiled at the teen.

"Look, it's ok, I promised Bengali that we were just going to have a nice bath. But just to be sure, why don't you put on the swimming shorts? You'd still enjoy the hot water."

Tygra was momentarily taken aback by the offer, and it took some seconds for him to process what Jareid had told him. He looked towards the rack that the jaguar was pointing at, and felt like a fool for an instant before going to retrieve the swimming shorts. They were black, and the fabric was soft. He looked at the older prince again to be sure that he was allowed to wear them.

Jareid's smirk made him feel like he was being laughed at. A spark of anger surged in him, and he pressed his lips together. He turned around and put the shorts on, careful to remain hidden by the bathrobe. The shorts were large, up to his knees, and the fabric was loose enough that he didn't feel constricted. They didn't guarantee that Jareid was going to respect him, the jaguar could get rid of any piece of cloth easily, but he felt a little bit safer.

He breathed deeply and turned again towards the tub. It was easier to get off the bathrobe now that he knew he wasn't completely naked. If he just focused on the water, he might manage to get through the bath without embarrassing himself further than he already had.

Tygra entered the tub gingerly, trying to ignore how hot the water was and sitting quickly, so he would be hidden by the water and the bubbles. He pressed his butt firmly against the bottom of the bathtub, despite the spike of pain the action elicited, and folded his legs in front of him. The water covered him up to his neck, and he was grateful for that.

Once seated, Tygra sneaked a peek towards Jareid. The jaguar was getting himself comfortable at the other side of the tub. Until then, the teen had been pointedly avoiding looking at anything that was below the jaguar's shoulders. The tiger noticed now that the older prince was also wearing a pair of swim shorts, more adjusted than his but they were there. Jareid also took care of not touching the teen's legs with his. Soon he was settled, the water covered him up to his chest, and the tiger could pretend that he had never thought about the jaguar been naked.

Tygra nibbled his lower lip nervously. He had to make an effort. He didn't want to live in pain and fear for the rest of his life. He had to get used to Jareid one way or the other. He looked as the jaguar opened his arms and leaned on the side of the tub, closed his eyes and breathed deeply, visibly relaxing himself. Tygra tried to do the same. He leaned his head backwards and forced himself to forget about Jareid's imposing presence. His muscles started to relax and he groaned in contentment. The water was so good. He started to massage his legs and after some minutes he stretched them. His foot touched one of Jareid's legs and the contact made him jump and came back to reality, folding his legs again out of reach.

Jareid suppressed the urge to chuckle at Tygra's reaction. It was evident that the tiger was making a considerable effort to forget that he wasn't alone. However, Jareid wasn't one to tolerate being ignored in any way. Tygra was already sharing the bath, now he should be able to enjoy Jareid's attentions too. He had promised Bengali that no sexual activity would take place, but that didn't mean he couldn't touch. He took the soap and a wash-cloth and motioned to Tygra.

"Do you want me to scrub your back?"

The tiger looked at him doubtfully. Jareid raised an eyebrow, trying to keep his always bubbling anger in control.

"Come on. I swear you're going to like it."

Tygra pressed his lips and gulped. He really shouldn't press his luck with Jareid. Bengali had told him repeatedly how short of patience the jaguar was. Tygra didn't want to anger the other cat, especially in a tub full of water, and with his wounds still so fresh. It was safer to do what Jareid said, at least he hoped so. He nodded, and forced himself to move closer to the jaguar.

Jareid smiled and guided the tiger to turn around and sit in front of him, between his open legs. Tygra's entire body was practically under the water, and only his thin shoulders could be seen. That wasn't a problem for Jareid. He enjoyed the feeling of the young body so close to his. He soaped the cloth and started to gently scrub the teen's back. Tygra slowly relaxed and bent his legs, so he could lean his head on his knees. It felt wonderful. Tygra didn't want to let down his guard, but the scrubbing motions, the hot water, and the relaxing steam slowly lulled him into calmness. He didn't protest when Jareid pulled him upright to scrub his chest. He only noticed the other cat's face too close to him when Jareid licked his ear. That pulled him out of his stupor rather rudely, but Jareid didn't seem to notice him tense again.

"Do you want to scrub your legs and arms yourself?"

Tygra nodded without actually registering Jareid's words. Only when the scrubbing cloth was pressed into his hand did he understood. He worked half-heartily on his legs, but when he moved to his arms he lost himself on the sensation. He was starting to scrub furiously at his left arm when Jareid noticed and stopped him, grabbing his wrists.

"Hey! Calm down. I'm glad that you're out of the bandages, but I'd rather not have Bengali murdering me because I let you hurt yourself."

Tygra blinked and looked at Jareid's hands resentfully. He felt incredibly weak all of a sudden. Jareid ran his hands along the teen's forearms, up to his shoulders and down his arms again.

"Besides, you have so beautiful fur. You wouldn't want to ruin it like that."

A tiny sob escaped Tygra and he closed his eyes in mortification. He wanted to feel his own claws embedded in his arms. It was something to focus on. The only way he could cope with the emotional pain he had been feeling since he had been taken from Thundera. Jareid took his chin with one hand and forced his head backwards until he could plant a kiss on the youth's cheek.

"No reason to cry gorgeous. Let me do your mane, you'd feel much better."

Tygra breathed deeply while Jareid's hands applied shampoo to his head. He started to relax again and a spark of pleasure originated when the jaguar worked a sore point behind his ears. It was nice. The feeling of Jareid's fingers massaging his scalp was incredibly soothing. In short moments he began to purr, and Jareid was very pleased at the sound. He rinsed away the shampoo and let Tygra enjoy the hot water a bit more before they had to leave the tub.

* * *

Tygra glared at the healing implements on his bedside. He hated the bandages, but he absolutely loathed the ointment. The fact that the wound that needed the most care was in a very intimate, _inner_ part of his anatomy, didn't help at all. The young cat was debating if he should try to apply it himself before Bengali arrived, and whether or not that would make any difference. Probably not. The shaman would surely want to make sure that he had done the job correctly, and the purpose would be nullified.

The tiger sighed. He knew that Bengali meant well and was just taking care of him, but he really didn't want anyone touching him _there_. It was so degrading!

He sat gingerly on the bedside, resigning himself to wait for the white tiger, and praying that Jareid would be gone by then.

The thought of the jaguar prince made him turn his head towards the door to the closet and the bathroom. Jareid was still drying himself. He had allowed Tygra to get out of the bath first, so he could get rid of the swimming shorts and put on his bedclothes in privacy. The tiger was thankful for the chance, and for the little device in the closet-room that expelled hot air for drying his fur, because without it he'd be absolutely uncomfortable with damp fur covered by pyjamas. He had dried and clothed himself in record time, and had left the changing-room before Jareid was out of the bathroom.

Tygra was hoping that the jaguar would be true to his word and left without forcing him into sex-play again. So far, Jareid had honoured his own promise, and Tygra was trying to feel encouraged by that, but it was difficult to put his mind at ease after what had happened. Tygra felt nervousness creeping on him, and clenched his fists to prevent himself from start scratching again.

He needed to come to terms with Jareid. The bath had not been the horrible nightmare he had been expecting. It had actually been quite pleasant. But Tygra's mind was down the paranoid path and he feared that it was all some kind of cruel game, just to humiliate him the most. He couldn't help his sombre thoughts, the feeling of being taken violently over a stone bench was still firmly imbedded in his mind. To think that he would have to tolerate such treatment for the rest of his life was making him going insane. He wanted to believe that something had changed with Jareid, but at the same time he refused to let his hopes up. It had only been a bath, and Jareid could be just playing with him.

The door to his walk-in closet slid open and Jareid came out. He was wearing his deep blue bathrobe, and black pyjama bottoms under it. Tygra automatically stood up and crossed his arms. Jareid approached him with the intention to give him a kiss and say goodnight, maybe even fondle him a bit. Tygra tensed and backtracked a step. He hit the bedside table and turned instinctually to prevent any of the items on it from falling. That drew Jareid's attention to the bandages, and the jar of ointment.

He lifted an eyebrow in curiosity. He knew that the bandages were for Tygra's arms, and Bengali would likely arrive soon to put them on. But they were just preventive, for Tygra wouldn't hurt himself further. He had no open wounds on his arms, so the ointment was not necessary. Then, the medicine should be for his _other_ injury. Jareid extended an arm past Tygra's unmoving form and took the jar to analyze its contents.

"Do you need to apply this every night?"

Tygra looked embarrassed and crossed his arms again.

"I can't do it properly. Bengali does it for me."

Jareid growled before he could stop himself, and Tygra's eyes widened in fear. It was irrational. The jaguar knew that Bengali was a Shaman, and that he was only treating Tygra's wounds like any healer would. There was no hidden intention in Bengali's touch, the wound was only in an unfortunate place. But still, it was so _intimate_. _He_ should be the only one who could touch Tygra in such an intimate way!

"Lie down. I'll apply it."

"W-what?"

A look of pure panic crossed Tygra's face and he shook his head vehemently.

"N-No… You can't! You promised!"

Jareid quickly took Tygra by the nape of the neck and pulled the young tiger against his body. Tygra yelped and put his hands on the jaguar's arms, trying vainly to free himself. Jareid pressed a certain point on the youth's neck and Tygra sucked in a mouthful of air. He stopped his wriggling, but still tried to beg.

"P-Please… I-I can't…"

Jareid relaxed his hold, and put the jar of ointment on the bedside table again. This was so frustrating. He couldn't be fighting Tygra every single time he touched him! He massaged the teen's neck and with his other hand took the tiger's left wrist.

"Listen Tygra. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm trying to take care of you here!"

Tygra stared at him. The tiger's mouth formed a thin line for a moment, and then a sceptical look appeared in his eyes.

"Why? You don't really care about me. I'll heal anyway and then you can… have me again, whenever you want."

He turned away his face while he said the last words. Jareid did a great effort to control his temper. He wanted to bite the teen's neck and force him into compliance. Instead, he whispered into Tygra's ear.

"You are the most infuriating little cat I have ever met. I do want to do many things to your body, but that doesn't mean I don't care to know you on any other level."

He grabbed both of Tygra's arms and looked directly into the young stunned eyes.

"I am a rather sexually aggressive cat. At least that's what Bengali calls me. And I loose control quite easily. But I'm willing to make an effort to go slower, for your sake, to leave you time to adjust. I'm curious about you, and I'm sure that we'd get to know each other, if you're willing."

Tygra was speechless for several seconds. He realized that Jareid was expecting an answer and he nodded cautiously. There was not much else he could do; he needed more time to think about the jaguar's words. It was enough for Jareid, who smirked and turned towards the bed. He put away the covers and repeated his earlier command for Tygra to lie down. This time, the tiger obeyed with only a slight reluctance.

Tygra lay on his stomach, and tried to suppress the shivers that ran down his body. He didn't like to be in such a vulnerable position with Jareid looming over him. He listened to the cat taking the ointment again and felt the bed sunk as Jareid sat beside him. He clenched his hands into fists around the sheets and breathed deeply. He did his best to not react when Jareid pulled his bottoms and underwear down. It was hard, and it was worse when he felt the jaguar's fingers separating his buttocks and exposing his entrance. He bit the pillow with force and tensed when one slick finger started to massage the ring of muscle. Mentally, he clung to the jaguar's promise that he wasn't going to be hurt, repeating to himself time and again that he had to do what the older cat instructed. So far Jareid had respected his promise, Tygra just prayed that he'd continue to do so.

Jareid's finger entered him, and Tygra gasped at the discomfort. It was not exactly painful, as the ointment was acting as lubricant, but his tight muscles were not making it easy. The jaguar's other hand started to massage his lower back, trying to get him to relax.

"You're making this harder for yourself Tygra. Let go."

Tygra tried to do it. He breathed deeply once more and focused in Jareid's hand on his back rather than the finger inside him. Jareid sighed and moved his hand up. He started to rub Tygra's neck and the base of his head, moving his fingers expertly. The attention sent shivers down Tygra's spine, but it was pleasant. The tiger finally started to relax and Jareid moved his finger at the same rhythm that the hand on Tygra's head. He inserted a second finger and Tygra whimpered. The youth tensed again for a moment, but it was short-lived as Jareid's massage continued working on his head.

After a few seconds, Jareid's thumb pressed a point behind Tygra's ear and the teen started to purr in pleasure. The jaguar smiled and continued rubbing that precise point.

"Looks like I found your weakness my tiger."

Tygra continued purring, now completely relaxed. The jaguar smirked and started moving his fingers with a renewed purpose. Tygra's breath-rate increased and he whimpered and gasped between purrs. He wanted to move, but Jareid's hand on the base of his head held him firm. His legs were kicking out and his fists were about to rip the bedcovers. A wrenched sob finally escaped him and he managed to talk.

"P-please… Please stop… please…"

Jareid groaned. He had to stop before he broke his promise entirely. His fingers went out, but instead of releasing the youth, he positioned himself over the smaller body, barely lying on it. Tygra gave a sharp intake of air and froze, not daring to move a muscle. Jareid's bulk over him felt constricting, but he knew that the jaguar was not letting his entire weight fall on him. The spotted cat's hands started to rub Tygra's flanks and shoulders.

The tiger didn't know what to do. Fortunately, Jareid had not taken off his own pants or Tygra would have screamed. Jareid bit his neck rather gently and sucked on it. Then his laboured breath was at Tygra's right ear.

"Damn it Tygra! I want you so much. You're driving me crazy, you know?"

Tygra whimpered. If Jareid took him right then he was not going to resist it. He was going to break, he just knew it. He tried to plead again, but his mouth felt dry. He couldn't do anything to stop Jareid from taking what he wanted, that fact had already been shown clearly enough.

The teen gave a resigned sniff, and bit the pillow harder when he felt the prince's hands going to his thighs. He was trying to mentally prepare himself for the pain and forcibly relax at the same time. Therefore, he was surprised when Jareid pulled up his pyjama pants and arranged his clothes so he wasn't uncomfortable. The jaguar's right hand returned to rub his head soothingly and Jareid nuzzled his neck in a comforting gesture. The relief Tygra felt was almost enough to knock him down. The only thing grounding him was that Jareid's other hand was still grabbing his hip possessively.

"When you're recovered, I'm going to show you how good sex can be. You'd learn to enjoy it, and to crave my touch, I assure you."

Tygra was still shaken and he closed his eyes, breathing deeply to try to calm himself. What Jareid couldn't see, or even imagine, was that the young tiger had been experiencing every intimate touch they had shared as rape. He didn't want to be there. He didn't want to be mated to a male, any male, let alone one as extremely possessive and dominant as Jareid was. But he must. He had been forced into the mating, and he had no other choice but to endure Jareid's abuse. He briefly wondered how much he could take before he snapped. Then decided it wouldn't matter anyway. Nothing was going to get him out of his personal hell.

He let a few rebellious tears slid from his eyes and sighed in acceptance. Jareid licked the mark on his neck and sucked gently. Tygra groaned and felt a strange mixture of pleasure and disgust at the situation in general. Still, he couldn't help but feel thankful that he was not being fucked into the mattress. That at least was an indication that Jareid could keep his promises.

The jaguar played a little bit with Tygra's mane, his own mind starting to relax. There was however, one point that needed to be clear.

"I'm not sharing you with anyone Tygra. I won't tolerate anyone having intimate access to you. Not even Bengali is allowed to touch you in that way. Do you understand? He is keeping his hands to himself from now on!"

Tygra reeled with anguish again. He partially turned his head to try and look at the jaguar.

"W-what? B-but he's taking care of me. He's healing me! You can't take him away! Please don't!"

"He's perfectly capable of monitoring your healing without having to insert his fingers in you. The first time was an emergency, but not anymore. He's not touching you, Tygra!"

Jareid was snarling at him, but Tygra couldn't just submit this time. Despite his fear, he had to make sure that Bengali was not going to be banned from seeing him. He needed the white tiger's presence. That, and his brother, were the only things that were keeping him sane.

"Please… He's my friend… A-and he'd want to make sure that I have my arms bandaged…"

Jareid had started to growl, but he stopped himself. He considered the tiger's words and deduced that Tygra was afraid of not seeing Bengali anymore. He nipped the youth's neck, and Tygra whimpered.

"That he can do. As long as he's not touching your private parts, he can do anything else. He's still in charge of your security, that's not going to change."

Tygra relaxed in gratefulness. He nodded his thanks and even moved his head to the side, so Jareid would have better access to his neck. The Jaguar was satisfied and continued his ministrations to his mate's body, trying to find more relaxing points in the tiger's head and back. Soon Tygra was purring again, and shortly after that he fell asleep.

* * *

Jareid went out of Tygra's room with a feeling of accomplishment thrumming in him. He had left his young mate sleeping and safely tucked in his covers to keep the cold away.

He had initially wondered about why Tygra's room was always cold at night. Nights were often warm in the jungle, and the system that kept the palace cool was only used on really hot nights. All of the castle's inhabitants preferred to just sleep without covers, as they were used to the heat. One of the shamans had told him that the young princes were used to Thundera's weather, and that there the nights could be very cold, so they turned the climate system on to low down the heat. It was supposed to help the brothers to acclimate themselves with their new environment.

Jareid shook his head in amusement. When Tygra'd sleep in his bed, he wouldn't need any covers. His gorgeous mate was going to sleep naked in his arms. Jareid found himself growing rather fond of the image.

He encountered Bengali outside the room, evidently waiting for him. He smirked at the white tiger's protectiveness and proceeded to inform him that Tygra was sleeping and it would be best to not disturb him. Bengali raised an eyebrow, not sure if he could believe his prince's words.

"Are you sure that he's fine Jareid? He was terribly stressed when I left."

"He's fine now. I assure that you aren't needed tonight. Oh, and another thing. You're not applying that ointment anymore."

Bengali bristled and got defensive in an instant.

"What? When did you become a healer Jareid? Tygra needs it!"

"Yes, but I will be the one helping him with it. It's not great science. You can still check his progress with the scanner."

Bengali started and blinked in astonishment.

"You… applied it? Jareid if you hurt him…!"

"I did not! He's perfectly fine, and I'm going to be the only one taking care of that particular wound. Are we clear Bengali? I don't want you touching him there again!"

Jareid was positively growling, and Bengali backed off, surprised by the sheer force of it. His narrowed eyes focused on the jaguar.

"What's happening to you?" He wondered aloud. Jareid looked baffled at the question.

"What kind of question is that? What do you mean?"

"You're acting weird. You have never been so… possessive of someone. I'm certain that you have never cared before about the healing process of any of your sex-partners, or whether or not someone else touches them. You seem to be acquiring some kind of attachment to Tygra and that is… unheard of."

Jareid cocked his head and smirked.

"Well, that's good, isn't it?"

Bengali only stared at him for some seconds before answering.

"I'm not sure yet. But it's definitely an oddity."

Jareid rolled his eyes at his long-time friend.

"Tygra is my mate. Why shouldn't I care for him?"

"That's not what I said. I only pointed to the fact that you never cared before for others."

Jareid scoffed and did a gesture of disgust.

"You mean the many cats that thought about getting a shot at power with me? Seriously? Please! They were only good for fun and stress relief. Most of them couldn't even sustain an intelligent conversation if their lives depended on it! My tiger is different. I'm not the next step to the throne for him. He's not looking for any favours, and he's not leaving me. Ever. He deserves to be cared for."

Bengali thought there was a bit of longing and desperation in Jareid's voice, but decided not to comment on it. Whatever inner demons his prince had, it was not his place to bring them out. It did worry him that Jareid seemed to be dismissing the fact that Tygra was not there by choice. As interesting as that was, Bengali feared that his prince was acquiring an unhealthy obsession with the young tiger. Something would have to be done about it, but he was not sure about how to proceed. He could do more bad than good if he was not careful.

For the moment, he felt that it was best if Jareid cared for Tygra like he wanted. If his "caring" resulted to be too much for the young tiger, then Bengali'd intervene.

He nodded his acceptance of Jareid's point of view, and didn't discuss the jaguar's right to attend Tygra. He only insisted on bandaging the tiger's arms, because he didn't want the youth hurting himself anymore. However, he agreed to wait 'till the morning to check on his young charge. If Jareid had truly left Tygra sleeping it was best to not disturb him.

Jareid recovered his cocky attitude once he was sure that Bengali was not questioning his actions anymore and was going to obey him. They retired for the night with peace between them for the first time in days.


	4. Chapter 4

**WARNINGS:** This contains Slash, and abuse, as well as mpreg. It is dark and treats mature themes. Do not read if you don't like it.

***Disclaimer:** I don't own Thundercats, or any character or event associated to it, and I'm not making any money from this fiction.

**CHAPTER O4. GOSSIP.**

Tygra moved his arm and sent his whip up and around a strong looking branch. He pulled with force to check that he had a good hold on it, and started to climb, using only his arms to pull himself up along the whip.

He arrived to his destiny and looked around for a higher branch. He continued to climb as fast as he could, and careful to not do any noise. He managed to reach the top of the tree, and surveyed his surroundings.

The jungle's vegetation was thick, but from where he stood Tygra was able to see a good 10 meters beyond, with some difficulty. He spotted a vibrant piece of red somewhere to the northwest, and made his way there through the trees. He hoped that it was his target this time, and not another bloody flower.

He had healed entirely from his injury after a month, and had returned to his pre-established routine as soon as Bengali had said it was ok for him to do so. Tygra had lost no time in rejoining his training, and was quickly becoming one of the best trainees.

Just as it had been at home.

Tygra stopped at a tree that hid him quite nicely from possible bystanders, and huffed in annoyance. It was a bloody flower, but some meters beyond it he could see a clearing among the vegetation, and in the middle of it was his target. This time for real.

He could see no one close by, so he allowed himself a little respite while he pondered what to do.

Four months. He and Lion-O had been in Ix-Maal for exactly four months. The first one had been true hell for Tygra, but later… He supposed he was getting used to his new life. He was adapting. He supposed it was for the best. He'd never return home anyway, so his mind was looking for the best way to survive.

The training had been a blessing. Hard physical activity, and exercise in the wild, still strange for him, jungle. As a hunter he must learn to move expertly in the jungle. That required all his concentration and ability. Barely any time left to think or to remember.

Tygra moved as quietly as he could to another tree. He sniffed the air a couple of times, and crouched behind the branches, trying to camouflage himself entirely. The other trainees had thought when they had first seen him, that his orange colour would be a dead give away. They hadn't been counting on his stripped pattern, that helped him to meld into his surroundings.

In the time he had been living there, he had started to meet more cats, and even made a few acquaintances. He had also heard gossip and rumours. He had realized that there was a lot of speculation about him, and the way Jareid treated him. Some cats had even been bold enough to ask him directly how was Jareid's performance in bed, and what had happened for him to get banned from training for almost four weeks.

Tygra had never answered such questions. That was private for the spirit's sake! So, the rumours continued making their way to his ears. Some of them were truly annoying.

Tygra had felt embarrassed when he had discovered a couple of the court's "ladies" discussing _**his**_ sex-life. Really! Some cats had absolutely no shame! And Tygra had truly despaired to know that apparently Jareid was one of those cats.

Oh, there was plenty of gossip going around about Jareid. And for Tygra's annoyance, it seemed that some jaguars had made their mission in life to make him listen to every bit of it, especially the sex parts. Tygra hated it. What use would it be for him to know how many sex-partners Jareid had had? He didn't want to know that! Neither was he interested in knowing the specifics of what he did to them in bed! He already had plenty of Jareid's sexual behaviour for himself, thank you very much!

But some cats were just stubborn, and soon Tygra had had an unwelcome and very clear picture of Jareid's reputation amongst the Jaguar Clan. It seemed that Bengali's definition of "sexually aggressive cat" was just the point of the iceberg. Jareid was a satyr. If Tygra had ever met someone truly addicted to sex, it was Jareid. And every bit of that addiction was currently focused on the young tiger!

Tygra had also realized that it was precisely that last fact what had some of the jaguars at the court in such a fit. He had been shocked to know that some cats were actually jealous of him! Some cats were just mad, he had decided.

He was getting tired of listening tales about how Jareid was such a magnificent lover, along others that said how much of a bastard he was. Tygra knew that already! He knew how demanding Jareid was, and how violent he could get sometimes. He didn't need to listen to other cats wondering about how Jareid was using his "new toy"; how bad was he trashing the tiger; how many bruises and wounds was he sporting already; how long would it take before he ended in the healer's wing; or how long would it be before Jareid tired of him!

Tygra was sick of it. If they wanted Jareid, they could very well have him! Maybe then he would have some peace!

But as much as he hated to admit it, the gossip was getting to him more than it should. One of the female jaguars of the court had just recently confronted him, and had told him bluntly that he wasn't good enough for Jareid. He was just a skinny kit with absolutely no idea about how to please a cat of Jareid's tastes. She had told him haughtily that their prince deserved better, and that when he tired of his toy, she'd be ready for him.

Well, good luck on that… bitch.

In reality, as much as he hated it, Tygra had to admit to himself that Jareid was an expert in having sex. The cat certainly knew how to touch and arouse a partner. As for Tygra's painfully obvious inexperience, Jareid didn't seem to care. He hadn't shown any signs of getting tired of his… "toy." He had been in Tygra's room every single night, always leaving the young tiger exhausted and deeply asleep. It didn't seem to matter that Tygra didn't know how to "please" his partner. Jareid seemed happy to do all the work, and was actually teaching Tygra what to do.

And the most embarrassing part was that the young teen was starting to actually enjoy it. His body was getting used to Jareid's touch, to be aroused with the jaguar's ministrations. As disgusted as he still was with the whole concept of being submitted to another male in that way, he was starting to just give in to it. It helped that Jareid had been true to his word and was actually been gentler with him. Somehow that made Tygra feel worse. There should be something seriously wrong with him, or maybe he just was finally going insane.

Tygra groaned and bit the inside of his cheek hard enough to draw blood. He shouldn't be thinking about Jareid and his sexual abilities! He should be focusing on the exercise!

He bit himself again and looked at the target. The pain helped him to focus and calculate his next move.

It was his new technique to keep in touch with reality. He was not allowed to scratch, cut, pinch or bit himself in any part of his anatomy. Bengali was being ruthless about that, and Tygra was sure that the white tiger had instructed Jareid to check his entire body daily. So, he had had to get inventive. He couldn't do any marks where someone could see them, but no one saw the inside of his mouth. The only one who could possibly notice his gashes was Jareid, and so far he hadn't mentioned anything about them. Nevertheless, Tygra was careful to do small bites and he preferred to do it in the area just in front of his lower incisors.

He got as close as he could to the target, a red flag, without leaving the cover of the tree branches. He knew that there must be someone guarding it. He just had to be fast and get there before he was noticed.

He jumped to the ground quietly, and moved around trying to disturb the plants as little as possible. He had his whip in his grip. He knew that the stones at the end of it could be used to make himself invisible, but he had not yet mastered that function. Besides, the jaguars had special suits that produced the same effect, but they were not using them. As it was, they were only wearing black shorts. The whole point of the exercise was to practice stealth and camouflage without any technological help. That included his whip. Their trainer didn't want his hunters to rely too much on technology. He wanted them to know what to do if they couldn't count on their gadgets for whatever reason.

Tygra was barely five meters away from the target, and apparently he had yet to be discovered. He could make a run for it.

Suddenly, he heard a noise at his right. Out of nowhere, a piece of wood was released and sped in an arch right towards Tygra. The tiger fell flat on his stomach against the ground. The big log past close to him and impacted in a nearby tree. There was a yelp, and one of his teammates fell to the ground. Two of the more advanced trainees fell on him and subdued him quickly. No one had seen Tygra yet.

"Just one more to go!"

"I don't think he'd even get this far."

"We'd wait a few more minutes and then search for him."

So, Tygra was alone. He was so close to the target, he could reach it in a few seconds if he took a sprint. But the others were closer to him than he was to the flag. They'd reach him first.

Tygra thought about what to do. He'd have only a fraction of a second to make a start, and then the moment of surprise would be lost and he'd have both jaguars over him. He had to have the flag on his hands before anyone touched him.

What to do? He couldn't afford to wait too long. If they hid again, he'd have no idea where the attack would be coming from. And there also were the traps to take into account. His hands tightened into fists, and he remembered his whip. He looked carefully at the terrain and the distance that separated him from the flag. Yeah, it could work. He just had to be very fast.

He crawled forwards just a bit and got ready. Just when the two trainees lifted his teammate to get him out of the way, he stood up, gave only a step forward and sent his whip towards the flag.

A set of darts zoomed past in front of him, right across the path he would have had to follow if he had run. He pulled the captured flag to himself and caught it just as one of the older trainees tackled him.

Both cats fell to the ground noisily. It took some struggling before the jaguar realized that Tygra had the flag.

"Damn!"

"Hey Idhao! Did you get him?"

"He has the flag!"

"Shit!"

There was noise around them, and Idhao helped Tygra to get on his feet. They were surrounded by the entire group. About six trainees that were at Tygra's level, four advanced, two newly promoted hunters, and their trainer. The adult jaguar looked approvingly at the most recent addition to his group.

"Well done Tygra. Good thinking."

"Thank you sir."

"The rest of you should be ashamed of yourselves! Twelve laps to the courtyard at full speed when we get back!"

There was a chorus of 'Yes sir' and the group started back to the palace.

* * *

Tygra took a quick shower in the barracks that were on one of the courtyards. They were used by some of the soldiers and the training warriors, and the showers were open to anyone who wanted to have a soak after the training.

It was evening already, and Tygra still had reading to do before dinner. He got out of the stalls, drying himself and looking for his clothes. While he was dressing, he heard voices coming from the other side of the showers. He distinctly heard his name being mentioned and he groaned inwardly. He couldn't help but to eavesdrop what was being said.

"Hard to believe he's actually hunter material!"

"Yeah, he certainly doesn't look like too much. But he really surprises me. I'd have thought that he wouldn't keep healthy for long with Jareid's treatment."

"Ha! I hardly think he's all healthy and uninjured. I think the shaman's are doing their work very well."

"Oh please! Like Jareid would really waste his time with the likes of him! Our prince has certain tastes. The boy would never be able to keep up with him!"

"Do you really think he has not touched him Mao? He's going to be the prince's mate."

"Yeah, and Jareid is the type to taste the goods beforehand!"

There were laughs and a derisive scoff.

"He'd be his mate in name only. Do you really think our prince would ever be satisfied with a scrawny kit?"

"Well, it's true that Jareid is very demanding."

"The cat's a bastard! Mao's right, the kit would never be enough to satisfy his urges."

"Of course not! You'd see. He'd set the kit aside as soon as the official ceremony is over."

"Wonder how many consorts our esteemed prince is going to require."

"Ha! That's irrelevant. I'm only interested that I'd be one of them."

"I wouldn't count on it Mao, after all he had not look for you in months!"

Tygra gritted his teeth and stopped listening. It was not the first time he had overheard that Mao talking about him and Jareid. One of his favourite topics seemed to be how he was going to be Jareid's lover and keep Tygra as a sex-toy if the prince really wanted to.

The young tiger walked back to the palace main building. He was seething and wondering why the warriors' talk upset him so much.

* * *

Tygra sat on the railing of his balcony, looking morosely at the garden below him. It was night already, but outside of his room it was not cold. He couldn't take off his mind the talk he had heard, and many other things he now knew about Jareid.

He was angry at the fact that it bothered him so much. So what if Jareid wasn't satisfied with him? The cat could go and bed the entire clan if he wanted! Tygra would be happy if the jaguar decided to satiate his sexual needs elsewhere!

He sighed. Perhaps the cross of the problem was that no one had ever told him that he wasn't good enough for something. Except for the crown.

A rueful smile graced Tygra's face. Of course, he'd never be good enough to be king.

He was well down the road to depression when he heard footsteps. He had his back to the door, but the presence behind him was unmistakable. He sighed in resignation as Jareid's arms surrounded his waist and he was pressed against a firm chest.

"Enjoying the night my little tiger?"

"It's nice."

Jareid nipped his neck and ear. The jaguar's hands were already under his shirt, caressing his flanks and stomach.

"I heard that you were the top of your group today. That's my tiger."

"I-I… ah… it was only an exercise… nngh…"

Jareid's hands were already making him lose focus. He squirmed a bit. Jareid made him turn around and kissed his mouth possessively. Then he grabbed his buttocks and lifted him from the railing. Tygra yelped and held onto Jareid's arms.

"Come my tiger. It's time I introduce you to a bit of bondage."

"To… to what?"

Tygra felt the familiar panic that filled him every time Jareid wanted to teach him something. The jaguar had not penetrated him again since their fight, but the dominant fuck he had been subjected to was still burned in his mind. Jareid had promised that he'd enjoy the next time, but Tygra was in no hurry for that to happen.

Jareid put him down beside the bed, and closed the balcony's door and the curtains.

"Get out of those clothes Tygra, and get on the bed."

Tygra obeyed with trembling hands. He loathed himself for doing this, for submitting so easily to Jareid's demands. What would his father think of him if he knew?

Probably that better him than Lion-O.

Tygra bit the inside of his lip and tried not to think. He climbed on the bed and folded his legs against his chest. He was too self-conscious of his nakedness, and tried to not see Jareid as the older cat got rid of his own clothes.

Too soon, a pair of hands were over his shoulders. Tygra gave a sharp intake of breath as Jareid worked on his back muscles.

"Don't be stubborn my tiger. You know you like this."

Tygra wouldn't say that he _liked_ having sex with Jareid. But his body was already responding, and it was useless to deny that the jaguar's hands did feel pleasant.

Tygra started to relax. Jareid made him lie down and pulled his hands over his head. Before Tygra realized what was happening his wrists were tied together to the headboard. The teen started to panic when he realized he couldn't move his arms.

"W-what? Jareid!"

"Ssht. Just relax. You're with me."

"That's what worries me you bastard!"

Jareid chuckled. Tygra still had quite the temper. And he still fought Jareid's touch from time to time. The jaguar was fond of those little bursts of rebellion. His tiger was not used to submit, and it was taxing him to have to do it. But submit he will, only to Jareid.

He kissed the youth's mouth, while his hands wandered along the stripped body. He knew every single spot that made the tiger lose himself, and he could force his young partner to relax and moan in pleasure whenever he wanted. He worked the back of Tygra's head to his advantage and the tiger gasped and moaned at the attention, allowing him to completely take possession of his mouth.

Jareid ran his tongue around the tiger's oral cavity, feeling the insides for any new wounds. Tygra's tongue battled his, trying to keep him away from the fleshy walls. Still, Jareid could taste the distinct flavour of blood. He sighed inwardly. He had not mentioned anything to Bengali because he thought that Tygra was dealing with his anguish as best as he could. The biting seemed to help him, despite what Bengali had to say. He'd report it if the tiger managed to do a severe wound, but he doubted it.

Still, he knew that his tiger needed to learn another way to deal with his anxiousness. One that didn't include hurting himself. He decided to think more about it later. For the moment, he had a delectable body trembling under him that required his undivided attention. He started to run his hands over the shivering body, teasing and soothing at the same time.

"Sshh. It's ok. Just relax. You'd like it."

Tygra vowed to kill Jareid. Somehow he was going to find the way to kill him and dispose of the corpse. The bastard!

The tiger pulled on his bonds, but even when they didn't feel too tight they didn't give. He was helpless under the jaguar's attention, and couldn't do anything as the older male took advantage of him and had his way with his body. This time, Jareid wasn't satisfied with just touching and teasing his young mate. He was careful to not hurt Tygra, but he still went all the way to claim him.

Once he finished, Jareid put his breath under control, and then pulled out from Tygra. The teen moaned weakly and turned on his side. His wrists were released, and the blindfold and gag taken out. Jareid hugged the thin form and curled behind him, wanting to cuddle just for a little while.

Tygra lied in Jareid's arms, trying to get his breath back. The jaguar kissed his head and right cheek, already aiming for his neck.

The tiger felt exhausted. Also, his mind was in turmoil. Everything that he had heard about himself and Jareid kept popping in his head without his permission. He started to bit the inside of his mouth again. Was he just a toy like everyone kept saying? At the moment he certainly felt like he was. Jareid's toy.

He tried to ignore it. He tried to just close his eyes and sleep, but he couldn't. Jareid was grooming him, cleaning his body with a wet cloth. He was a precious toy. A possession.

A lone tear escaped his eyes without him noticing. Jareid did, and licked it from his cheek.

"There, there. You're not hurt. You're like a drug Tygra. I couldn't wait any longer to be inside you again. Was I too rough? I think you enjoyed it."

Tygra nodded absently. What could he say? It was a bit painful, but pleasurable at the same time. Nothing like the first time really. He was still trembling from his orgasm. He was depressed for some ridiculous reason.

Jareid sucked on his neck, working on his mark. Then he noticed that Tygra looked sad.

"What's the matter? What's in your mind Tygra?"

A tiny sob made its way out of the youth's chest. Tygra closed his eyes and sighed.

"What am I?"

Jareid frowned, not sure of what he had heard.

"I'm sorry?"

"What am I to you? Why are you doing this to me? I'm not Thundera's heir. I'm just Claudus' adopted son. I don't understand what could you possibly find attractive in me. Why are you here, playing with me, every night?!"

Jareid moved and made Tygra turn around, so he was looking right into his eyes. He kissed him deeply, and then rubbed their noses together.

"Such a question. You are my mate, Tygra. Not officially yet, but I already claimed you. You are mine. Forget about Thundera, it doesn't matter where you used to live or with whom. You live here now. With me. You stopped being Claudus' son the moment he accepted to give you away to me."

Tygra swallowed. He could clearly see the obsession in Jareid's eyes. How the jaguar was seeing him? He didn't know if he wanted to know.

"Doesn't it bother you that I'm so young? That I'm a scrawny teen? I'm not exactly a good looking partner for a king."

"You're not going to be a teen forever. You'll grow up Tygra. You'll grow up into a handsome, strong male. My male. Then I'd have to keep other cats away from you."

That actually made Tygra smile a bit. He sighed and turned his head to the side.

"I just… This wasn't my choice. I feel like I'm some kind of exotic thing. I never wanted a male partner. I never even had thought about a partner at all! I wish I… I don't know."

Jareid kissed him again, tenderly this time. Then he hugged him tightly.

"You're just confused. You're not a thing Tygra, I'd never seen you like that. You're my mate. Mine. We're going to make a family together. The rest doesn't matter. You're staying with me forever."

He said it with such conviction, that Tygra felt overwhelmed. He didn't really know how that made him feel, so he only nodded and stayed quiet.

* * *

Tygra was making his way towards the healer's wing in search of Bengali. He knew the Shaman would go to find him to make sure he didn't miss lunch, but he needed someone to talk. He had woken up with pain in his back and complaining intestines, but the muscle relaxant ointments had made wonders for him. And he wasn't bleeding, he had checked.

He had walked funny the first steps in the morning, but had corrected that quickly. He didn't want to give any indication that Jareid had shagged him the previous night.

He still was a bit stressed though. He didn't know what to feel or who to believe. Jareid had changed his approach to him. True, he had never actually stopped to force Tygra into some form of sexual activity with him, but he had been more considerate. Wasn't that what he had wanted when the entire nightmare had started? Some consideration?

Jareid actually seemed to care. So, what was his problem now? That there was no love? He knew beforehand it was going to be like that. And he wasn't a bloody girl damn it! He had never dreamed of romance, or finding the one true love. When king Baal had sent him to his room in Thundera for the last time to pack, the best he had hoped for was someone he could talk to.

Jareid had been trying to know him better. They had been sharing some things about each other. The jaguar was following his training closely. They had even had some discussions about politics. Jareid could be a sex-maniac, but he had a sharp mind, and knew how to play his role as crown prince perfectly well. They had reached some form of agreement. A kind of relationship that Tygra thought he could live with. He only wished Jareid wasn't so focused on sex.

He stopped before the door of the clinic and reclined his head to feel the cool surface. What was bothering him? The gossip? Every court had its fare share of scandals. He knew that. Perhaps it wouldn't matter if it wasn't so intimate. He had heard so many things about Jareid that he was not sure he'd ever really know the cat. How could he know if his mate was sincere with him? Why would it matter anyway?

He sighed in frustration and opened the door. He needed someone to talk to, and Bengali had always been there for him for his entire ordeal. He needed a friend, and the white tiger was the only one he had at the moment.

He entered the clinic and looked around for Ben. There was no one in sight, but the door to the study was open. Tygra could listen people talking. He approached the open door quietly. He didn't want to interrupt if Ben was busy, so he sat in a chair beside the door, where no one would notice him. He'd wait 'till Bengali was alone.

He recognized his friend's voice, and his companion was a female. Tygra didn't want to eavesdrop, but curiosity got the best of him and he started to pay attention to what was being said. He almost groaned loudly when he realized they were talking about Jareid. Really! Was there no other topic of conversation in the entire palace? Tygra was going mad!

But Bengali was not the type to engage in meaningless gossip. So, Tygra listened anyway. Maybe he could at last hear something worth it.

"Come on sis. I know you had a crush on Jareid when we were younger, but it was not to be."

"It could have!" Said the girl petulantly. Tygra was surprised to learn that she was Bengali's sister. "The prince shagged anything on two legs that crossed his path. He still does. And you know it!"

"And would you have wanted that? Just a quick shag? Jareid never took any one seriously Amira. He'd have dumped you the same as the others."

"You don't know that!"

"Oh, I'm fairly certain of that! Besides, if he had wanted to, he'd have done you anyway. Then you'd have realized that he's not the prince charming you were dreaming about."

"Or, he would have fallen in love with me!"

"Amira…"

"We'll never know because you stuck your head where no one wanted you to!"

"Look, maybe I implied that if he wanted something with you, it'd better be serious or there was going to be a problem with me. But I never said you were out of bonds. Besides, Jareid had no reason to take me seriously. We were what? Seventeen?"

"I'm sure you did something else Bengali!"

"I swear on the spirits I didn't. What could I have done? You know I was an apprentice then, and I can't use any magic against the royal family."

"Really? Then explain to me why I got refused when I showed in Jareid's bedroom, entirely naked, for him to take?"

Bengali must have been drinking something, because Tygra heard coughing and spluttering. The teen made a supreme effort to not laugh.

"You did what?! Amira! Are you mad?!"

"I was crazy enough for him, and I wanted him to be my fist and only one…"

"Amiraaaa!"

"But he turned me down! He smiled at me and told me that I was beautiful, but not really his type! He put me into some clothes and said that it would feel like fucking his own sister! What do you have to say about it?!"

There was a moment pause, and then Bengali answered more relaxed.

"I say that it was pretty decent of him."

"Ben!"

"Look sis, you know that he would never have taken you seriously. I truly believe that he was incapable of that."

"Was? Do you really believe that he'd just stop sleeping around just because he'd be mated?"

"Well, he has stopped so far."

"Really?" There was honest curiosity in the girl's voice. Tygra also found himself perking up his ears. "Are you sure of that Bengali? He had never gone more than a month with the same bed partner. Maybe he's just being discreet for a change."

Bengali laughed, and answered amusedly.

"That, my dear sis, is another thing Jareid is completely incapable of. Besides, even if by some miracle he truly had learned the fine art of discretion, you know that the court will never do. Whoever had he bedded would have already screamed it at the top of his or her lungs by now."

"Maybe not if it's not a noble, or someone from outside of the palace."

"Maybe. But I don't really think so."

A pause, and then the girl spoke again. She sounded surprised.

"You're saying that he's being faithful to the boy? Is it Jareid you're talking about?"

"Of course it is! And believe it or not, the king is very satisfied about it."

"Really? The king?"

"Of course. It's been months without anyone bothering him with his son's sexual scandals. And he's very pleased that no one of the nobles has had any reason to go to him demanding that Jareid be betrothed to their offspring. The queen is also very happy. She believes that her son is finally maturing. Though I still have my doubts about that."

"Weeell… It's certainly a change. Maybe it's just the novelty. There's no more tigers around, and if I remember correctly, you punched him in the face the one and only time he insinuated himself to you. Dad almost had a heart attack!"

Bengali chuckled, and Tygra was trying hard not to do the same. He didn't want to be discovered.

"He was only joking. He returned the punch right away. And I don't know about the novelty thing. He has been acting different."

"How so?"

"Well, he worries about Tygra's health, and lately he has taken upon himself to inquire about what Tygra likes. He questioned Lion-O about that."

Tygra almost let a gasp escape him. When had that happen?

"The little lion was very enthusiastic, and told him everything Tygra had preferred from when they were cubs to now. Jareid was very amused."

Ooooh, his brother was going to die! How dare he!

"He's also trying to be romantic. He's not giving Tygra gifts, or flowers, he's sure that Tygra wouldn't appreciate that. But he had arranged dinner or lunch for just the two of them on occasion, and he's taking him to walk around the palace. I think he shown Tygra the stables the other day."

That was true. Tygra had been fascinated with how big the stables were. He had thought that ridding was out of the question in the jungle, but there was a huge field for practice. Jareid had said that it was one of the king's little pleasures. Bengali's sister was chuckling.

"My, it seems that our prince is finally smitten with someone! Do you think it'd last?"

"I hope so. It's doing Tygra a lot of good. He's not so anguished any more. He's adapting, and having an easier time coping with Jareid's personality. I'm hopeful that he'd be able to be happy. Now, if only Jareid could have more control over his sexual behaviour…"

"Oh, brother! That's asking for too much! But it seems that Jareid turned out to be a decent mate. And he could have been mine!"

"Amiraaaa!"

Tygra left the clinic. It was clear that the siblings would engage into some rather pointless discussion. He'd talk with Bengali later. It was odd, but he was actually feeling a bit better.


	5. Chapter 5

**WARNINGS:** This contains Slash, and abuse, as well as mpreg. It is dark and treats themes for mature audience. Do not read if you don't like it.

***Disclaimer:** I don't own Thundercats, or any character or event associated to it, and I'm not making any money from this fiction.

CHAPTER 05. JEALOUSY AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.

The hunters were gathering slowly in the courtyard. It was still early in the morning, but the practice was going to take all day, it was better to have a good start.

Tygra was waiting for everyone to be prepared. He was doing warm-up exercises while he waited. A few of the other trainees were doing the same, and one or two were still half- asleep. Tygra had been strongly reminded of Lion-O when he had seen those last.

Someone put a hand on his shoulder, and Tygra turned around to see Xalu. He was one of his fellow trainees, and one of the few friends he had made. He was a few months older than Tygra, with chiselled features, and a mane that fell down to his shoulders, often in a pony tail.

"Hey Tygra. How are you feeling? We thought you weren't going to make it today. Many were almost certain that you'd be in the Shamans' wing."

Tygra huffed in annoyance. Time had gone by rather quickly. Soon it'd been nine months since his arrival, and some cats still saw him as a weak little kit. Even the ones his own age like Xalu.

But this time he couldn't blame his friend for his concern. He too had been worried about his own physical integrity. The previous day they had been training on combat, and Jareid had intruded. Without so much as an excuse me, the prince simply had taken a staff, and put himself on guard in front of Tygra. The tiger had been scared out of his mind, but he couldn't refuse. Not in front of the entire group of his fellow trainees.

So, they had fought. Tygra had been practicing and could handle the staff much better than the first time. He had been able to give a good combat. However, when he finally had been on the ground with Jareid over him, he had started to panic. Jareid had been very excited by the fight. So much in fact, that he had kissed and bitten the tiger's neck right there. In front of everyone!

It had been the first time that Jareid displayed their relationship in public. Tygra had been aghast. For a moment he had been convinced that Jareid was going to continue and claim him right there. Fortunately for him, Jareid was not that much of an exhibitionist. But he did carry Tygra out of the courtyard over his shoulder, declaring that training was over for the day. Tygra just knew that everyone in the palace was certain this time that Jareid had fucked him. Which he had done. Roughly. But surprisingly he had had the presence of mind to prepare Tygra, so he hadn't tear the teen apart like the first time. Tygra was very sore, but not incapacitated. It helped that he was more or less getting used to Jareid's size.

"Yeah well I'm not. And there's no reason for me to lose practice."

The young jaguar looked at him in concern.

"Are you sure? I don't want to pry, but I have heard that the prince can be pretty rough."

The tiger flushed in embarrassment. He was never going to be comfortable discussing his sex-life. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see many of the other trainees taking an interest in his talk. He wanted to growl at them. While he could see that Xalu's concern was genuine, the rest only wanted to get a juicy piece of gossip.

"Yeah, I've heard that too. But I'm fine. There's no need to be concerned Xalu."

The jaguar narrowed his eyes, but nodded and let the subject drop.

"Oi, I heard that in a few weeks it's going to be your birthday!"

Tygra groaned, but smiled at the same time. It had been Lion-O's birthday some days ago, and the lion had made sure to tell everyone the date of his brother's. There had been cake, and even some presents, so the young lion had been happy enough.

Tygra dreaded his birthday. He was going to be sixteen, and it'd also mean less than three months for the official ceremony of his mating. Though he didn't know why he bothered. It wasn't as if Jareid hadn't already laid his claim on him. What could be the worst that could happen after all he had been through?

"Yeah. In just two weeks actually."

"Cool."

"Hey you two! Lieutenant Kab wants everyone in the south court!"

The two teens obeyed, and joined the rest of the team to start the warm up and receive instructions.

Meanwhile, another set of eyes observed the proceedings from one of the palace's windows. Eyes that followed Tygra's form with loathing.

Mai was one of Jareid's last conquests from before the war with Thundera. One that was mightily pissed at the prince's betrothal. She had believed herself practically on the throne, and was not taking well the news that it wasn't to be. She had never had a chance to begin with, but she had deluded herself with the idea that Jareid was in love with her. It had been quite a shock for her that Jareid had not run into her arms the moment he had arrived home.

She gritted her teeth while she looked at the hunter's trainees. She couldn't believe that _a child_ had taken her place beside the prince! What had the king been thinking making such a pact? They could have easily erased Thundera from the face of Third Earth! They didn't need any alliances with the damned lions!

Mai had been convinced that the king had forced his son into an unwanted arrangement, and had waited for Jareid to look for her, desperate for a way out of the mating contract. She of course would help him find one and be done with the tiger cub. But as the months had gone by, and no Jareid had come knocking to her door, she had grown upset.

She had gone to Jareid then. She had intended to remind him of the time they had spent together, to make him see that he had no reason to put up with his father's pact. But she had been brushed aside. Jareid had told her that he didn't have any more use of her, now that he had a mate.

She had been furious. How dare him replace her with that kit! The boy couldn't possibly be attending to his needs! Surely he didn't even know how!

There had been much talk around the court. The majority of the nobles were under the impression that the king had forced his son into a binding contract, and that somehow he was restraining Jareid and preventing him from acting as he used to. The older cats all thought that it was about time. The heir prince couldn't be allowed to go prancing around like a common whore! Baal should have reined on his son's urges long ago!

But some of the younger nobles weren't so happy. Mai among them. One or two of Jareid's occasional bed partners had still been nursing the fantasy to become the future king's mate. Some had looked for Jareid, as Mai had, and had received the same farewell words as her. They were frankly puzzled at the prince's behaviour. No one really believed that a young teenager like Tygra could possibly be enough for a cat like Jareid.

They of course had taken upon themselves the task of making the Thunderian prince aware of their existence. The brat should know what he had been signed into with a partner like Jareid. They had been sure that the boy would be freaked out to know about Jareid's escapades. They thought he would ask Jareid for explanations and deny to share a bed with him, causing a rift between them that the nobles of the court would be quick to fill.

But apparently such thing had not happened. Tygra seemed immune to the court's gossip, or he simply was ignoring it. The noble jaguars were miffed. Many of them had decided to ignore the boy. The fact that he'd be mated to the prince was inconsequential after all. Jareid was going to tire of him sooner or later, and would start to look for entertainment. There was no mating that couldn't be broken later, and a consort was only a step away from being a mate.

Mai was not willing to wait. She was not going to debase herself to be a consort. She was meant to be the queen! She was not playing second fiddle to anyone, much less to some stupid child! She was going to recover Jareid. She only needed to dispose of the obstacle in her way.

She smiled evilly as she watched the group of trainees heading outside. The jungle had always been very dangerous. Much more for an outsider, who was still learning to find his own way through it. Accidents were bound to happen.

* * *

Tygra ran as fast as he could through bushes and overgrown plants. He had almost died falling from a tree. He had been trying to avoid waking up an Iknal, a large, bad tempered animal that looked to him like a mixture between a reptile and a wild cat. He had run head first into poison ivy, and had found a colony of fire ants.

He was tired, but he couldn't afford to stop. They had been told to go north. They had to cross the jungle and arrive at some unidentified spot about 10 miles from the starting point. They had to be quick. They had been given a 10 minutes distance from each other, and were supposed to keep the pace. If the jaguar behind them caught up there was going to be hell to pay. Tygra was being followed by Xalu, who was faster than him, so he couldn't stop to rest.

He came across the river, and stopped to consider his options. Xalu hadn't caught up to him yet, but Tygra suspected that was due to him being lost. It was the first time he saw the river. It was huge, easily eight meters wide, and its waters were running fast. If he tried to swim through it, the current will trap him and take him down the river, probably crushing him against the many rocks that littered the rapids.

He turned to one side and then the other. He couldn't see anything he could use as a bridge, and there was no telling how long the river ran. He'd have to cross it.

He surveyed the rocks. He could use them. He'd hop from one to the other until he'd reach the other side.

Tygra jumped to the first rock. He almost lost his foot upon landing, but regained his equilibrium quickly. The surface was slippery, he had to be careful.

He almost got to the middle of the river when he heard a strange noise over the roar of the waters. The next second, pain coursed through his right calf. He cried out and slipped, falling into the water.

He desperately tried to keep afloat. The pain on his leg was killing him. He impacted against a rock and held onto it for dear life. He tried to climb it, but he couldn't move easily. He could now feel that something was piercing his right leg from side to side. He was just trying to identify what it was when it was pulled hard. Tygra cried at the pain the pull provoked. The thing wouldn't go out of his leg. Someone was trying to pull him.

He couldn't grab onto the rock any longer. One more pull and he was under the water again, moving his hands desperately to try to get his head above the current. He hit another rock and this time he felt a hand around his ankle. He was pulled upside down out of the water, and he coughed a couple of times. He looked at his captor's body, and recognized the uniform of a fully trained hunter.

"Look at this. I got myself a skinny fish."

"Cough… cough… wha… what are you doing?"

Tygra tried to lift his head. He could see now the harpoon going trough his leg. He recognized the cat holding him. His name was Bali. He was one of the best hunters in the forces.

Bali took the harpoon and pulled it out of Tygra's leg. The tiger screamed at the muscles being torn in such a way. The jaguar smiled maliciously at him.

"I'm just getting rid of the trash. Our prince deserves better! The alligators will take care of you."

He lowered Tygra again, until the tiger's head was once more under the water. Tygra moved his arms and left leg, desperately trying to free himself. He bent at his stomach and grabbed his legs to get his head out of the water.

"Oh no, you won't."

Bali captured the back of Tygra's head and let go of the leg. Then he submerged the boy again and tried to keep him under the water. Tygra's hands managed to grasp the one that was holding him down and scratched desperately. Bali roared in anger and pulled him out again to hit his face with a closed fist. Twice. The third hit went to Tygra's abdomen, getting the air out of his lungs. The tiger's body tried to curl in reflex and Bali pushed him under the water again, hitting the head against the rock for good measure.

Tygra couldn't breathe. He was going to drown and there was no one to help him. The hit against the rock got him fully on his left temple. The world around him blackened out.

Bali was satisfied that his prey had stopped struggling. He'd hold the boy under the water for a few more minutes, just to be sure that he had drowned, and then he'd let him go.

Suddenly, a rock impacted with the back of his head. He released the tiger and turned around to see a net closing over him.

* * *

Xalu had been about to caught up to Tygra. He had been the last one to start the race, so their trainer had been right behind him. Xalu had reached the river just in time to see Bali holding Tygra from his bleeding leg. At first he hadn't understood what was happening, but when he realized that Bali intended to drown Tygra he desperately looked around, trying to find a way to stop the jaguar. He was already prepared to throw a rock to the hunter when his trainer finally caught up to him.

They lost no more time. Xalu threw the rock and immediately dived into the river to intercept the tiger's body. Kab had his weapon loaded with a fishing net, and shot. Bali was caught nicely. Kab pulled and dragged the other jaguar to his side of the river. There was a short fight between them that ended with Kab pressing Bali's head to the ground, and calling for reinforcements via radio.

Xalu was already fishing Tygra out of the river. He struggled with his friend's weight, and was close to drown himself while trying to keep them both afloat. Kab helped him once Bali was restrained and got both teenagers out of the water. Xalu coughed his lungs out, while Kab was desperately giving Tygra first aids and mouth-to-mouth respiration. Xalu joined in once he got himself somewhat under control. Between the two of them they managed to get Tygra breathing again.

The young tiger expelled a good deal of the water that had filled his lungs and coughed uncontrollably. Xalu helped him to lie on his side, as the reinforcements arrived and the royal guard took command of the situation.

* * *

Tygra woke up with a terrible headache, and feeling his lungs burning. He moaned in pain and immediately heard Lion-O's voice at his side.

"Tygra? Ben! Tygra's waking up!"

The tiger moaned again and opened his eyes. His entire body ached, and his mouth and throat felt dry. Lion-O was looking at him with tears in his eyes.

"Wha… 'ppen?"

"Tygra you asshole! Don't scare me like that!"

"Come on prince Lion-O, allow your brother some space. I need to check him."

Tygra saw Bengali coming behind Lion-O. The young lion unhappily made way for the Shaman to check the tiger over, while Tygra remembered what had happened. At the end, the white tiger helped him to sit up on the bed, supporting his back with the pillows. Lion-O took his place again, sitting beside his brother.

"For all the spirits Tygra. You gave us a good scare this time."

"'s not my fault."

"Of course not. Thankfully you didn't drown. Your face is a disaster right now though. You have several bruises, a concussion, and one deep gash on your right calf. The muscles are going to take sometime to heal. Your lungs are clean now, only a bit sensitive. You'd be better in no time."

"What happened Tygra?" Asked Lion-O in concern. It wasn't like his brother to have an accident, and no one had told him anything.

Tygra was about to answer, and inquire about his attacker, when the door to his right opened and an irate Jareid entered, yelling to someone at the top of his lungs.

"Don't give me that shit! No one is stopping me from seeing my mate!"

The jaguar approached the bed decidedly. One young apprentice behind him, looking helplessly at Bengali.

"I'm sorry Shaman Bengali, he insisted."

"It's ok Sarai, you can leave."

The girl scurried away as fast as she could. Bengali looked disapprovingly at his prince, but Jareid didn't pay him any attention. His entire focus was on Tygra.

The tiger trembled. It was evident that Jareid was very angry. He swallowed a couple of times, but didn't dare to open his mouth.

Jareid approached the right side of the bed, working himself into quite a state as he inspected the damage his mate had taken. It did nothing but fuel his anger to see Tygra's face. The tiger's head was bandaged. He had a purple eye and cheek, and evidently a broken nose. Jareid lifted the bedcovers in one violent movement and his face contorted in fury. There were many minor bruises, a mayor one on the teen's abdomen, and his right calf was heavily bandaged.

With a low, angry growl, he let the covers go and looked at the face of his trembling mate, fists clenching and fur standing on end.

"Who did this?"

Tygra was very scared. He knew that Jareid was easy to anger, but he had never seen the jaguar this furious. He didn't know how much of that fury was directed at him, so he started talking, telling everything that had happened until he had lost consciousness. Jareid's growl intensified and turned to Bengali. By then Lion-O was trembling too, and hugging his brother tightly, looking at the jaguar with wide, fearful eyes.

"Where is he?"

Bengali blinked. He had seen his fare share of Jareid's anger, but nothing like this. He felt confused, realizing that only his training was keeping him from shivering and exposing his neck in submission. It'd be a very bad idea to deny Jareid anything right now.

"Bali is in a holding cell. The king is waiting for Tygra to wake up to question him… Jareid wait!"

The jaguar roared and got out of the clinic with murder in his eyes. Bengali stood looking at the door, plain and utterly baffled for several seconds. Then he grabbed his communicator and pushed a few buttons quickly. Tygra looked at him, still in fear, and trying to soothe Lion-O.

"Hello Jeron. It's Bengali… Yes, he's awake, but listen. You have to seal the holding cells and enforce the guard. Jareid is on his way there, and he's furious…. I know that King Baal has not passed judgment yet! I don't think the prince cares! … Just do as I say! Believe me, if Jareid gets to Bali's cell you're not gonna like it! … Yes, I'm going for the king."

Bengali cut out the communication, and gave a deep breath. Then he looked at the two siblings and sighed.

"I have to go and get the king. You two are going to be alright?"

Both cats nodded and Bengali smiled at them. He got out of the clinic in search of Baal.

As soon as they were alone, the brothers breathed better, and Lion-O reclined his head on Tygra's shoulder.

"Tygra, what's he gonna do?"

The tiger sighed. He wasn't sure where Jareid had disappeared to, but he was glad it was away from them.

"I don't know. But don't worry, he's not gonna hurt you."

The two siblings relaxed and stayed in each others arms for a while.

* * *

Jeron was puzzled at the amount of urgency and panic in Bengali's voice. He ordered to double the guard, but sealing the cells seemed unnecessary. He thought that the Shaman was exaggerating. That was until he saw Jareid walking down the hall. He couldn't even react on time.

The guards never knew what hit them. One moment they were standing on duty, and the next they were a crumpled pile on the floor, trying desperately to untangle themselves from one another while hearing loud roaring and terrified screams from one of the cells.

* * *

King Baal looked in astonishment at the bloody mess that had been Bali's cell. He wasn't against the final result. He had already decided that Bali was to be set as an example. Treason was not tolerated, and Tygra was already part of the royal family, the people had to get that fact into their collective minds. He had just not expected the kind of example his son had provided.

He long ago had accepted the fact that Jareid had some serious anger management problems, but honestly! Had it really been necessary to scare the prison guard out of their wits?

Granted, it had been the prision's commander's own fault. The cat had already reported, still trembling with adrenaline, that Shaman Bengali had called before Jareid's arrival, and had strongly suggested to seal the cells. Suggestion that had been ignored because… well, because no one had really expected Jareid to do something like this! Not even Baal had expected this kind of reaction. Sure, he had known that his son was going to scream for blood at the top of his lungs, but the last thing he had expected was for Jareid going feral and extracting the blood himself.

And just to make things more interesting, Bengali had called by the radio not two minutes ago bordering on hysteria. Apparently, once he had finished in the cells Jareid had sequestered Tygra from the clinic, and was now secluded in his rooms with him. So now they also had a very upset and scared lion demanding to see his brother.

The king sighed and shook his head. This was going to require a long talk with the counsel, some bribery, and strong threatening for no one to go outside the palace telling tales that the prince had gone mental. He will of course talk with the guard to do damage control. Also, he and his counsellors had to prepare what to say to the people. They had to give a very good reason for an execution not being public, specially considering the crime. He hoped that the Shamans would be able to do something for the body to be presentable; otherwise they were going to have a hard time explaining _this mess_ to the deceased's family. He'd leave the lion to his queen to sort out. Xilara had always been good with kits.

Baal grunted and left the cell. It seemed like he was always cleaning up his son's indiscretions, one way or the other. Oh, fatherhood joy!

Well, at least this time it wasn't someone claiming to be pregnant.

* * *

Tygra was trying to put his breath under control, calm himself, and think. The smell of blood, fear, and anger was making it very difficult.

He had been terrified when Jareid had shown up in the clinic, entirely covered in blood, and had proceeded to lift him from the bed, and carry him outside. Lion-O had yelled, and Jareid had growled menacingly at him. Tygra had wriggled, trying to fight the jaguar's hold, but Jareid had bitten his neck, and the sheer amount of adrenaline that the prince had been exuding had nearly knocked Tygra out.

The tiger was still trembling with fear. He didn't know where Jareid had taken him. He only knew that he was horizontal and Jareid was practically curled around him. The jaguar had taken off the head bandage, and was now grooming Tygra's head and face. The tiger was afraid that Jareid had gone psychotic on him. Luckily, the older cat had apparently calmed down. Now Tygra wanted Jareid off him, but he didn't know what he could do, or say, that didn't make the rage return.

"J… Jareid?"

The jaguar grunted and lifted himself a bit. Tygra could see his blood splattered face, and blue eyes that still had a hint of madness in them. He licked his lips nervously.

"Y-you… are dirty." He pointed out lamely.

Jareid blinked at him, and then chuckled.

"My little tiger. Yeah, I suppose I could use a shower."

He got up, and released Tygra. The tiger sat up quickly, and followed Jareid's movements with stolen breath. He felt like prey that had been taken to the predator's den to be consumed. Jareid took his chin, and kissed his lips tenderly.

"You wait for me right here, understood? I don't want you wandering around and hurting your leg."

Tygra nodded. The smell of blood still had his nerves on edge. He was starting to wonder where all that blood had come from. The jaguar didn't look injured. He looked as Jareid hopped down and walked away to disappear through a door, and then released his breath.

What had happened? Tygra needed to see his brother and check if he was alright. He hoped that Bengali had gotten a hold of the lion.

The thought of the white tiger made him groan. Bengali was not going to be happy to not find him in the clinic.

Well, it wasn't exactly his fault, was it? Jareid had clearly gone mad on them. Tygra shivered again and tried to forget the blood, hoping against hope that the jaguar hadn't done something terrible.

He looked around him for the first time and gulped. It definitely was Jareid's room. It was an ample space, which central piece was the huge bed where Tygra was presently sitting at. It was covered with forest green sheets. He didn't recognize the wood it was made of, but the design of the frame resembled strong vines curling around themselves. It was on some kind of platform, so it gave the impression to be floating. The carpeted floor was also a dark green.

Behind the bed, was a full wall window. It, combined with the white walls, inundated the room in light, and made it look bigger.

There was a big mahogany cabinet to his left, just beside the door that clearly was of the changing room and the bathroom. At the other side of said door, was a chest of drawers. On the front wall was a set of shelves with several weapons in display, and a painting of the river and the jungle. Close to the painting there was a small table, a cosy armchair and an ottoman. To the right was an arch that led to what looked like a study. There were no more doors in sight.

Tygra sighed, and looked at his leg. It felt dull, it was probably full of anaesthetics. He didn't think that he could walk, besides, he wouldn't dare to disobey Jareid so soon after seeing that display of rage.

He tried to make himself comfortable, and arranged the pillows to recline on them. The bedding was light, but he didn't need any covers, despite being only clad in comfortable shorts. It was warm in the room.

Jareid finished his shower and went out of the changing room wearing a pair of purple pants. Tygra was still on the bed, evidently nervous, and biting his lip self-consciously. Jareid smiled at him, and tried to not get angry again at the sight of his mate's injuries. There was nothing more to kill after all, and he needed to reassure his tiger.

He was mostly dry, so he returned to the bed and started to massage the back of Tygra's neck to make him relax.

"How are you feeling?"

"I… a bit scared actually. What did you do?"

Jareid kissed his temple tenderly, and nuzzled his cheek with his nose.

"Don't think about it. You're quitting the training. You're not leaving my sight anymore."

"W-what?!"

Tygra bristled. He forcefully pushed Jareid away, and growled at the same time as the jaguar.

"No! My leg will heal soon enough! I can return then!"

"You're not Tygra! You're not setting foot in the jungle again, you hear me!"

"No! You can't do this!"

He tried to wriggle out of Jareid's reach, but the jaguar held him by the arms, and pushed him flat on the mattress. Tygra cried in outrage and frustration.

"Listen to me! I'm not letting you go where you can be so easily hurt! You're staying here, safe, even if I have to lock you in the room!"

"I'm not a bloody kitten! I can take care of myself! Aaaugh!"

Jared bit him on the neck. Hard. It was agony, and Tygra's instincts kicked in, forcing him to go limp under the dominant male. Tears clouded his eyes and he made an effort to stop them from shedding. He breathed deeply as Jareid released his neck, still growling at him.

"I'm not loosing you Tygra! Do you understand that? No one is taking you away from me! Not ever!"

Tygra was dumbfounded at the desperation in Jareid's voice. He had never wanted the mating, but it seemed that for Jareid it was much more than it looked. He breathed again and tried to reason with the jaguar. Jareid loved to see him submissive, maybe he could use that to his advantage.

He let his tears fall and exposed his neck, carefully avoiding looking directly at the older prince.

"I'm not going anywhere. Please, I'm not a decoration. I can't live in a cage, however beautiful it is. I'll go insane if the door never opens. I love the activity. I need to do something to keep my mind away from worrying and thinking too much. Please, don't take that away. I promise to be more careful, and to not let my guard down. Please…"

Jareid growled again, this time in frustration. He licked the ghastly mark he had done in the tiger's neck, and Tygra gasped.

"Infuriating little cat." He sighed and fought with himself for a minute. "Fine. But you better keep yourself in one piece."

Tygra released the breath he had been holding, and rubbed his cheek against Jareid's jaw.

"Thank you."

"You're such a piece of work. And you're staying here from now on. I don't care if it's not official yet! My mate is sleeping with me!"

Tygra managed to gave a small ok. Lion-O wasn't going to be happy. Bengali either. But it probably wouldn't matter. Tygra had already learned that Jareid always got what he wanted.

The jaguar gave a low purr of contentment, and curled himself again around his mate, effectively isolating them both from the rest of the world.

* * *

Meanwhile, in another part of the palace, the Chief Commander Myron walked into the wing destined to the court.

Many members of the council, and some high-ranking officials, had sets of rooms assigned to them in the palace, and used them frequently. Some of them even lived there and were rarely seen in their own homes. Myron didn't really like it, but it was convenient to have a place to stay when the guards were long or some emergency required his presence. Though lately it was an excuse for his daughter to stay in the palace 'till un-namely hours, claiming that she didn't want to stay alone in their home.

The commander clenched his fists. He should have paid closer attention to his offspring. He had known that letting her stay was calling for problems!

He entered his rooms, and there was his daughter in the sitting room, chatting with some of her friends, no doubt already spilling gossip about the recent events. Myron coughed loudly, and the talk stopped. Every set of young eyes looked at him startled.

"If you excuse us ladies, I have something to say to my daughter."

"Oh daddy, you can tell me in front of them, they're my best friends…"

"This is private! So, ladies…"

The females scurried away, sensing the commander's bad mood. As soon as the last girl closed the door, Mai looked reproachfully at her father.

"Dad, what is this…?"

"Shut up! Are you aware of what had happened today?"

The girl looked affronted, and then shrugged trying to fake ignorance.

"Well, some say that there was a commotion in the cells, and that Jareid's little pet was in the healer's wing. Surely the brat had an accident and some poor guy is going to take the blame for it…"

"Enough! There was no accident, and you know it pretty well."

Mai looked taken aback. She almost stuttered as she tried to collect her wits.

"Dad, I-I don't know what you…"

"Don't you dare lie to me Mai! I saw you whispering with Bali yesterday after the prince's rather rash display of affection, and very early this morning! I didn't think too much of it, until midday when hunter Kab called because of an emergency. I got to talk with the cat without witnesses because I was the one to take him back to the palace on my pod!"

The female jaguar fidgeted nervously, knowing very well that her father would not approve of her method to have Jareid back. He had never approved of her liaison with the prince at all. Still, she was ready to try and deny whatever Bali had told her father, but the next words of the commander froze her.

"I've never been most ashamed in my entire life. I'd never thought that I could ever rue the day you were born. You! I've raised a traitor! And still I can't help but being grateful that the prince finished Bali off before king Baal had a chance to question him!"

Mai gaped at her father. He had never spoken to her like that. She awkwardly tried to compose herself, to say something in her own defence.

"I-I… I'm not a traitor… I'm not! T-that brat…!"

"Is Jareid's betrothed! As much part of the Royal Family as the prince is! Couldn't you get that through your head?"

"He's an outsider! He doesn't have any right…!"

"He's part of a peace treaty! A peace that would have been broken when the lion king were informed of his son's demise!"

"So what? We can easily destroy them!"

"We can! That doesn't mean we need to! And beyond that Mai, do you realize that you intended to terminate two lives without reason? Bali would have ended up dead anyway! Jareid was feral when he attacked him! What did you expect the prince to do to someone who had attempted against his betrothed's life?"

"Jareid was never to know! It'd have been an accident! And you know how he is, he'd have forgotten all about the brat soon enough and go back to his usual self. He'd have returned to me!"

"Don't you get it Mai? A cat is dead because of you! Because of your stupid fantasy that somehow paints the prince in love with you!"

"It's not a stupid fantasy! Jareid loves me! And I'm going to be his queen!"

"He'd have no queen! He'd have a royal mate, and surely at least one consort, but not a queen! And I'm going to make sure that you don't cause any more unnecessary deaths!"

Mai was going to protest. That Bali was dead had not been her fault. The stupid cat was not supposed to let anyone know that he had killed Tygra, much less Jareid. But before she could open her mouth, Myron grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of the rooms.

"Wait dad! Where are we going?"

"You're going to see exactly what you provoked. I can see that you still don't understand."

"But… but dad!"

"Silence!"

Myron dragged his daughter to the cells. Bali's body was just about to be collected. The Chief Commander asked for the High Shaman to give him a couple of minutes, and the cat acceded a bit doubtful.

"Are you sure you want your daughter to see this Myron? Not only it'd be a shock to her, also the King wants this to be conducted with the most discretion."

"Have no fear Xiar. She's not going to say a thing. I'm tired of her joking around with her friends about how amusing it'd be to have the prince angry with someone. They had been planning to incite rumours about Tygra fooling around with one of them. Perhaps seeing what Jareid is capable of would dissuade her from spreading lies."

The Shaman looked at the girl disapprovingly. Mai crossed her arms and turned away.

"Very well. But be quick, we need to start on the body right away."

"Of course."

The Shaman left them alone and Myron dragged his daughter to the cell, and practically pushed her inside.

Mai froze in shock. Everything was covered in blood. What remained of Bali's body was scattered around the cell. Bones, entrails, fur, everything. The girl put a hand over her mouth. She was going to be sick. She wanted to turn away, but her father held her in place.

"Take a good look Mai. Tygra is betrothed to Jareid. Jareid considers him his. This is what the prince does to cats that try to take away what belongs to him!"

Mai stuttered and was sick on the stone floor. Her father pulled her up un-relentless.

"You're going to the house, and you're staying there for good! You're never entering the palace again, and you're never talking to any member of the Royal Family, or the court. If you do, I'd tell the prince that the entire attack on his betrothed was your idea!"

Mai could only nod in fear.


	6. Chapter 6

**WARNINGS:** This contains Slash, and abuse, as well as mpreg. It is dark and treats themes for mature audience, such as sex with a minor. Do not read if you don't like it.

***Disclaimer:** I don't own Thundercats, or any character or event associated to it, and I'm not making any money from this fiction.

**CHAPTER 06. SETTLING, AND REFLEXIONS.**

As predicted, Lion-O was not happy with the news that his brother was to share a room with Jareid. Xilara explained to him that in this way his brother would be more protected from people that wished him harm. The lion understood the reasoning, but was still unsatisfied, especially because Jareid would not let him see his brother. The jaguar prince was adamant that no one but Bengali was allowed inside his private sanctuary. Tygra's leg needed time to heal, so he wasn't going anywhere outside the room anytime soon. Both brothers were getting desperate.

Finally, after three days of tension and general unhappiness, Tygra had to beg Jareid to let Lion-O visit. He also got to continue his lessons. Jareid's study was connected to an ample sitting room, where Tygra's tutor and his brother were allowed to visit. The Thunderian princes were miffed at the restrictions, but there was nothing they could do about them. Tygra didn't know why the king was humouring his son's paranoia, but he kept his mouth shut, though he grew concerned about Lion-O's safety. He talked about it with Jareid, and Baal had the lion moved to the Royal apartments, so he could be closer to his brother.

It was a tough week for Tygra, but he survived Jareid's bout of over-protectiveness and moved on.

By the time his birthday arrived, his leg was practically recovered and he could get out to the gardens to walk and exercise the muscles a bit. Lion-O went with him, and they had a quiet lunch under a lemon tree.

Tygra had a hard time sitting and standing. His right leg had taken a great amount of damage and was still very tender. He disliked that he still needed the crutches to help support himself, especially at the end of the day.

Bengali had instructed him to not overtax his leg, but he was desperate to heal and restart his regular routine. So, he suffered from cramps from time to time. Like the one Lion-O was helping him with, just as they were sitting for lunch.

"Agh! Whiskers! This is never going to heal properly!"

"It's your own fault! Bengali said to not overdo the exercise, you dummy! You're lucky it's healing at all, your muscles were completely shredded, even the bone took some damage."

"I know! I'm lucky they could do the reconstructive surgery almost immediately. And I'm even more lucky that Jareid didn't manage to ruin it, taking me out of the clinic as he did."

Lion-O chuckled. Though at the moment he had been very scared, in retrospective it seemed funny the way the jaguar prince had carried his anguished brother, bride style, to his rooms. Tygra huffed in annoyance, and Lion-O turned serious.

"Is he treating you well Tygra?"

The tiger almost spluttered, and he scowled at his brother.

"Wha…? Lion-O, that's a question you ask to a sister!"

"It's not! It's a question you ask when you're concerned!"

Lion-O crossed his arms, clearly affronted. Tygra rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"Well?"

"What?"

"Is he treating you well or not?"

Tygra went several shades of pink and grumbled under his breath.

"He's been nice enough."

Lion-O considered the answer, and nodded.

"Good. I'd have to talk to him if he wasn't."

Tygra chuckled and punched his brother playfully on the arm.

"Auch!"

"You, brat, aren't supposed to be worrying about me. I'm the big brother. I'll do the worrying."

"Smartass."

"Yeah, well, why don't you tell me what exactly is the model you gave me this morning?"

Lion-O's eyes brightened. He had gifted Tygra a scale model of a battle tank that he had put together himself. It was metallic and opened to show the inside. The lion was pretty exited, explaining how the engine was supposed to work, and all the power it could manage.

Tygra was amused at the passion his brother showed when talking about technology, and teased him a little on the matter. It was Lion-O's turn to punch his arm and look a bit indignant, but his gesture softened soon enough, and a sincere smile graced his lips. Tygra lifted an eyebrow at him.

"You're better. You're more like yourself again."

Tygra sighed and gave a half smile.

"I suppose I'm feeling more like myself too. Now, if only I could restart training already, I'd be much happier."

Lion-O chuckled and pushed his brother lightly.

"You are always thinking about training."

"Well, not all of us are utterly marvelled with technology."

Lion-O stuck out his tongue at him.

"You're just sore I was right."

Tygra rolled his eyes, but grew serious and considered his brother. He had been avoiding the theme, but maybe Lion-O needed to talk.

"Do you miss home Lion-O?"

The lion shrugged and looked down.

"Sometimes. I miss father more. And Jaga. But I like it here. I actually like my lessons. And here you don't hate me anymore."

Tygra was taken aback by his brother's answer. He reached out to pull on the lion's wrist and made him look up.

"Wha… Lion-O, I'd never hated you. What gave you that idea?"

The lion shrugged again, and bit his lip.

"It's just… you never played with me anymore, and Grune was always saying that you could be king if I'd never existed. You're better than me, everyone could see that."

"Lion-O…"

"But it's ok. We're here now. I'm not the heir anymore, so you don't have to be angry at me."

Tygra sighed and pulled his brother against himself to hug him. It was true that in Thundera he had been starting to ignore the young lion. He had been resentful and bitter because his tutors, and pretty much everyone, Claudus included, were always comparing the two of them. He had always come on top, but all it did was to make him remember the painful fact that Claudus was not his blood father. He was the adopted prince. He had never truly belonged in the royal family. It just hurt that his brother had something he couldn't, no matter how much he tried. But none of it was his baby brother's fault.

He felt Lion-O returning the hug, clinging to him like a lifeline, and he caressed the messy red mane that was on his shoulder.

"You're a silly cub. I could never hate my little brother. You're just annoying sometimes."

Lion-O grunted and muttered something that sounded vaguely as "I'm not a cub."

Tygra chuckled, and with a last hug he released Lion-O, and declared that they had to eat lunch before Bengali went looking for them.

* * *

Baal was contemplating murder in the near future.

Why had he had any offspring again? Oh, yes. He had had to produce an heir.

The king growled in annoyance. He didn't have anything personal against his offspring. In fact, his Yeana was a precious cub that behaved adoringly. But he swore that Jareid was meant to be a litter of five! It had been quite the pain to raise him from the moment he had discovered what crying was for!

Presently, the king was trying to repair the last of the damage that his son's violent revenge on Bali had done. It hadn't been easy to put the guard and council at rest, nor had it been to control the information that had actually made it to the rest of the court. But it had been done. Now, there was still the little problem of letting Tygra rejoin the training, without fear of bloody retribution if the tiger got hurt for whatever reason.

The king, his First Counsellor, the High Shaman, the Chief Commander, the Head of the Hunters, and Lieutenant Kab were discussing the possibilities and trying to reach an agreement.

"Oh, for the spirits' sake! Bali deliberately tried to kill Tygra! He got what was coming to him anyway. You surely don't think that someone is going to be foolish enough to repeat the feat?"

There was uncomfortable fidgeting around. A murder attempt was indeed very rare among the jaguars. The only reason why Bali had been so close to succeed was that no one had really considered that Tygra could become a target. The tiger was technically a prisoner of war, one that clearly belonged to the prince. Everyone could see that Jareid had already claimed the teen as some kind of personal possession, and it was common knowledge that the prince had no tolerance at all with cats that tried to take anything from him. No one had believed that there could be someone stupid enough, or suicidal enough, to incur Jareid's wrath.

But it had happened, and now the war council was trying to go through every scenario to prevent it from happening again. Baal was getting tired. The ridiculous ideas some of them could concoct!

"There is not going to be any sudden rampage through the jungle to exterminate every single fire ant colony there is! Honestly! Are you mad?!"

The Chief Commander had the decency to look properly chastised. Eékatl, the Head of the Hunters, coughed nervously.

"Well, perhaps we are starting to go over the board. But Baal, you have to admit that Jareid's reaction is something to worry about."

"Now that he's an adult? He has always been like this!"

The Shaman was the one to talk this time.

"In a way yes. We all know that Jareid has always been unstable, and very prone to violence. That he has a very hard time controlling his emotions. But he had never done something like this. He was feral Baal. No one could do anything to stop him. At the moment we have no idea of how he'd react if Tygra gets hurt in any other way."

"A shame, really." Said Kaleb, the First Counsellor. "I was really liking the way Jareid had been conducting himself lately."

They all agreed with that. It had been quite nice to be able to discuss important government issues with the rest of the council without getting interrupted every time by complaints about Jareid's trampling. The jaguar had been acting differently, more responsible, and actually listening at counsel meetings. No one had missed the obsession he had developed with Tygra, but everyone had happily ignored it. They had all been convinced that having the tiger had been good for their prince. Now though, they weren't so sure.

"So what do we do then? Put him into a sterile sphere? Life happens! Tygra is bound to be hurt someday! We can't isolate him from the entire world! It'd be the same as killing him."

"Maybe it's a mot point." Said Kab. "As insanely possessive as Jareid is behaving, maybe he wouldn't hear about Tygra rejoining training. He can very well just forbid it."

"He won't." Baal said offhandedly. His closest counsellors looked at him expectantly.

"Are you sure about that? It was a fight to have his tutor continuing his lessons. If he could he would have kept the boy in the bedroom forever!"

Baal shrugged derisively.

"Just yesterday, the lion asked at dinner if Bengali had cleared Tygra for training. The boy informed him that he'd have to wait one more week. Jareid said nothing. He only nodded when I asked if he agreed. I can tell he's not happy with it, but apparently he is not going to prevent Tygra from doing it."

That gave everyone something to think. The Shamans had been very concerned when Jareid had taken Tygra out of the clinic. Many had been sure that no one was going to see the tiger out of Jareid's rooms ever again. Baal had actually been relieved when Tygra's tutor had reported that the boy looked well enough, and was applying to his studies as always. Not that he had ever doubted Bengali when the younger Shaman had said that Tygra was fine, his relief had been more because the tiger had been allowed to see someone else, besides his assigned healer and brother.

Baal would never accept it out loud, but he knew that his son had the tendency to consider people as things. Tygra had been like a gift, and Baal had fully expected Jareid to treat the young tiger accordingly. His son had troubles getting around the idea that other cats had rights too. He had hoped that Jareid would be curious enough about an outsider to try a different approach with him, the way it had seemed to work with Bengali. Baal couldn't complain. If one blatantly ignored the first month, and how anguished and depressed the tiger had been then, one could say that things had gone even better than expected. And then someone had to go and ruin it.

Finally Kab spoke again.

"Look, I have nothing against Tygra returning to train. The lad is very good. One of the best really. I'm only concerned about the safety of the rest of my unit. There are bound to be disagreements, and envy. It's always the same. There'd be jokes, and pranks, maybe even a bit of bullying. I'd feel better if I had the certainty that the prince would know the difference between an ill thought prank and a murder attempt."

"Why don't we ask him directly?" Said Kaleb. "We all had been happy that he has finally been acting more like the prince he is. This discussion is very much about his recently poor judgment at one specific situation. He shall be here and compromise himself with what he did. He must be the one to decide if he'd be able to control himself if Tygra gets roughed up during training."

"I agree." Said Myron. "He has taken training himself. He's no stranger to the kind of things that can happen."

Everyone agreed to the idea. Baal called a servant and sent for his son, truly happy that he didn't have to make excuses for him to be excluded from a discussion.

* * *

There was cake at dinner, and the Royal Family wished Tygra a happy birthday. They gifted him a set of battle knifes, specially crafted for the jungle. Little Yeana gave him a hug, and declared that Jareid better take good care of him, or she might have to hit him. Tygra groaned and blushed in embarrassment. He tried to cover it behind Yeana's abundant mane, but he could feel amused eyes on him.

The little party was very simple, but Tygra was in fact thankful for that. He was still coming to terms with his new status in life, and still missed his home very much. He was not ready for big congregations. When they had celebrated Jareid's birthday, Tygra had practically hid behind Bengali the entire time.

Once dinner was finished, and the king declared that everyone was free to go rest, Jareid took Tygra in arms and carried him away. The tiger gave an indignant yelp and tried to get the jaguar to put him down. Jareid ignored his protests and just continued their way to their rooms. Tygra groaned and put his head down in defeat. He hated to be convalescent. It only gave Jareid an excuse to carry him everywhere he could, and embarrass him.

They entered the bedroom, and Jareid put him on the bed. The jaguar gave him a passionate kiss and smiled.

"Wait here. I'm going to check that everything is ready."

Tygra looked as Jareid disappeared through the changing room. Then he sighed, and looked around him. It was still very much Jareid's room. There were only small indications of Tygra's presence. His whip was on a shelf, a picture of himself and Lion-O had joined the many that Jareid treasured on top of the chest, he knew that his books were scattered around the study, and his clothes now occupied a relatively small space in the walk-in closet. But it still felt and smelt like Jareid's bedroom and Tygra still felt just one more of the jaguar's possessions in it.

He wished he could have his own room back, but he knew that Jareid would never allow that. They were mates. Mates lived and slept together. Tygra didn't have a need for a separate bedroom anymore.

The tiger sighed and closed his eyes. His teeth nibbled furiously the inside of his mouth, as he mentally repeated the mantra he had used every night to reaffirm his resolve.

'_He's my mate, not my owner. I must see him as my mate. He can hurt me, but he's not gonna do it because he promised. He's my mate. I must obey him and not make him angry. He's my mate. I'm going to be fine. I'm going to be happy. Like Bengali said. I just have to get used to him. I have no other choice. For my people's sake. For my sake. He's my mate.'_

Jareid returned with a satisfied smile on his face, and lifted Tygra in his arms. The tiger gave a surprised yelp and glared at the jaguar.

"Come. We're having a bath, and then I'm going to pamper you."

"I can walk, you know?"

Jareid chuckled and kissed his temple. Tygra protested with a growl.

"Of course you can. But I love carrying you, and Bengali clearly said that you're not to force your leg. I'm sure that you ignored the crutches as much as you could, so now you have to let the muscles rest and relax."

Perfect. Now he was listening to what Bengali had to say! Tygra gave a resigned grumble and pouted.

The bathroom was huge. It was divided in two sections. The first one was a common, but ample, bathroom, with toilet, sink and shower. Luxurious and big. The other section was like a private spa. Instead of a bathtub, there was what Tygra called a mini-pool. He swore a six years old cub could happily learn to swim in it. It was only a meter and a half deep, and it had a bench along the perimeter and one in the middle, wide enough for a cat to sit down with the water up to chest, recline, and relax. The water's temperature could be modified at will, and there were little whirlpools that sent jets of water.

There was also a small clay chamber, with benches inside, and something that reminded Tygra of a campfire. It was a hole in the centre of the chamber, where you could light a small fire and put stones in it. Once the stones were hot red, you poured a previously prepared infusion of herbs over them. The chamber then filled with aromatic vapour. Jareid said it was called a "Temazcal" and it was supposed to be relaxing and to purify your mind and soul. There was one in the King's private garden, as it was meant to be in the open. The one in Jareid's bath had been constructed with the necessary adjustments for it to be well aired and safe.

The last element of the bathroom was a massage bed. It was behind a curtain in a secluded space, which also contained a cabinet with the necessary oils and other implements for various types of massage. Jareid also used the oils for other activities, and Tygra was distrustful of them.

The three things looked ready to use, and the tiger was instantly nervous. Jareid, he had learned, had plenty of stamina, and it was tiring and very difficult for Tygra to keep up with the jaguar's demands. Jareid liked rough play, and lately he had been treating the tiger none too gently. Apparently his patience and propose to go slow with the teen could only last so long. Tygra shivered in a mixture of fear and anticipation thinking about the things that aroused Jareid. Having the tiger tied down to the bed was one of them, and the teen could not get comfortable with the feeling of utter helplessness that such a position implied. Strangely enough, the times they played with bondage, and when the jaguar was rougher, were the ones his body seemed to enjoy the most. It was making Tygra start to question his sanity.

He made an effort to squelch his fears. Even though Jareid had been increasingly rough with him, and had already introduced Tygra to the use of toys, he had also been careful, and hadn't hurt the tiger to the point of incapacitating him in months. Besides, even Jareid couldn't have prepared the vapour with sex in mind. Right?

Tygra trembled, realizing that he was not so sure of that. Jareid could think of sex in any kind of situation, or so he had heard.

He shook his head and berated himself for having ever listened to gossip.

Jareid put him on a soft bench close to the pool, and instructed him to get out of his clothes. Tygra sighed, and complied. He had finally gotten used to be naked in front of Jareid, and only blushed when the jaguar was blatantly leering over him. The older prince got naked too and carried Tygra to the pool.

The water was pleasantly warm, and Tygra let go a sigh of contentment when he was entirely submerged in it. Both cats languished about and took their time bathing. Tygra was actually enjoying it. He shared small talk with Jareid and was surprised to see that he was no longer utterly terrorized of being in the jaguar's company. There was uneasiness, the ever-present undercurrent of fear and shame of what Jareid would want of him, and that uncomfortable knowledge that he had been forced into this relationship. But the abject terror had sensibly diminished. Tygra acknowledged that he had resigned himself to live the life the way Jareid preferred. He lowered his eyes and sniffed in self-pity. What was he turning into?

Jareid sensed his sudden change of mood, and got closer to him, lifting his head by the chin.

"What's the matter?"

Tygra shrugged and tried to find an answer.

"Nothing. I just… I'm…"

"Oh, I know that face. You're thinking too much again, aren't you?"

The tiger blushed and tried to turn his head away.

"I'm just wondering…"

Jareid grabbed his chin again and kissed his mouth, softly, slowly. Tygra opened his lips automatically. It felt so wrong, but so comforting at the same time. He wanted to cry. He sighed into the kiss and forced himself to stop thinking. Jareid soon ended the moment with a teasing lick.

"Don't. Just turn off that overactive brain of yours for now. We're having a peaceful time together, you're supposed to be enjoying it."

"I am." Tygra assured.

He started to talk again about his recent discoveries in Jareid's personal library, and the jaguar smiled and let go of his chin.

They finished their bath some time later, and Jareid handed him a towel to put around his waist. The jaguar pressed some buttons on the little control panel of the pool, and then herded Tygra into the clay chamber.

They spent ten minutes in there. Tygra was grateful when they finished. Spirits above, it had been HOT! The smell had been divine, and all his muscles had relaxed, but after the first five minutes, he had been suffocating. He couldn't believe that someone would be able to meditate in there!

Jareid submerged him momentarily in the pool again. The water had already been changed, and it was clean and cool. It felt blissful.

Before he noticed he was sitting on the massage bed, naked again, while Jareid put on a bathrobe and looked at the oils and scents available. Tygra was about to protest his own lack of any clothing, when his right leg complained. He gave a small cry of pain and kicked out in reflex. Jareid was in front of him in an instant.

"Are you ok? What's the matter?"

"N-Nothing. My leg just chooses bad times to cramp. It'd pass in a second."

"Lie down on your stomach."

Tygra obeyed, and Jareid's hands were immediately on his right calf. The tiger grunted and whimpered as Jareid's fingers treated the cramped muscles and released the tension. He gave a loud sigh of relief when he felt the muscles relaxing again.

Jareid smiled. He took a small amount of oil and started to rub it along his mate's legs. He continued up the thighs and the buttocks, teasing the teen's entrance when he brushed past it. Tygra's breath was slow and controlled. He was trying to not lose himself into the sensation, but Jareid was already an expert in his body. He knew exactly where to touch and how long to get Tygra aroused and purring in pleasure.

The tiger was biting his lips when Jareid reached the back of his neck, fighting to not make any more sounds. The jaguar's thumbs pressed against the sore muscles and made circles on the middle of his neck. Tygra gave a strangled groan. He felt Jareid leaning on him and breathing in his ear.

"Let go my little tiger. You're feeling good. There's no reason to fight it."

'_Dear Thunder, please…'_

For a moment he wished he could go back to simply loath Jareid, and his life, and be unhappy. Then he reprimanded himself for being stupid.

'_Just feel. Stop thinking. Just feel.'_

He gave a deep breath and moaned in bliss as Jareid's expert hands moved over sore muscles and soothed him. The jaguar continued his ministrations, until Tygra was nothing but mush in his hands.

When he finished he wrapped the slumbering teen in a towel and carried him to their bed. The poor thing was really exhausted and was asleep before they got out of the changing room.

* * *

Jareid woke up and reflexively hugged the body next to him. The sun was just coming out, but he had always been an early riser. Besides, he loved to wake up to the sight of his mate sleeping in his arms.

The tiger looked so peaceful and relaxed. His face and body had been changing slightly in that year. He could no longer pass for a kit, but he wasn't an adult either. He had grown up a bit. Soon he'd be about Jareid's height. Though he still was rather thin, the jaguar was sure that he was going to develop more muscle in no time.

Jareid nuzzled the very short mane on his mate's head, and purred in contentment.

How could he be so taken with this young cat? It was unprecedented. No other feline had been able to retain his attention for more than a month. He had pursued several cats, but generally lost interest after he bedded them.

It had become some kind of sport for him. He really wasn't looking for anything more than just sex. There were a few that he looked for, more or less regularly, with the sole intention of having a bit of fun, or to release stress. Those were the cats that were willing to tolerate his most aggressive demands, and have become "regulars" because of that, and not because he thought they were particularly beautiful or interesting. He was well aware that they were expecting him to choose one of them as his mate eventually, or at the very least to have some kind of preference, or favour, from him. He was not going to give them anything, why would he? He had never seen anyone as anything other than sex-relief providers, almost as toys.

But it wasn't the same with Tygra. He truly enjoyed the time he spent with the young tiger. He enjoyed the idea of being the only cat allowed to touch that delightful body in ways that made Tygra shiver. The only one ever. He was practically teaching the tiger how to have sex. It was almost as if he was training the teen to do and enjoy the things he liked. The power that he held over the tiger was an additional bonus too.

Jareid had always been one to abuse the power he knew he had over the rest of the clan. As he was the heir, he was untouchable, and he had known it since an early age. His parents had always tried to make him see what was acceptable and what wasn't, and had always said that every cat reserved respect and no one should tramp on the rights of others.

Jareid had learned politics and knew everything the law, written and spoken, had to say about rights and the proper way to treat people. But the reality of the situation was that he believed it didn't apply to him, at least not in its entirety. Even when his father talked to him about the repercussions of hurting those around him, whenever someone complained about something that Jareid did, Baal only huffed in annoyance and somehow the problem disappeared. And Jareid knew that there were plenty of complaints about him, he had never managed to hold on his temper, and every now and then he lashed out in extreme anger for some innocuous thing.

The prince had always been told how he was supposed to behave, but in practice he had always been allowed to just do what he wanted. His status, and the power it gave him, was enough to most cats to just accept that he had the right to do as he wished. Some of his most frequent sex-partners were under the delusion that he actually cared, only he didn't like to show it. In reality, Jareid accepted that he couldn't care less about them. He continued to bed them, simply because they were willing to put up with the pain and humiliation that his games often implied. Few cats agreed to that. The majority of his conquests were one-time laids, and then either he wasn't interested in the feline anymore, or the cat in question wasn't willing to repeat the experience without some kind of commitment on his part.

Jareid huffed. Commitment. Sure. Why would he? He could have whatever cat he wanted. He had never implied that he'd some day be faithful to someone. Even now, that he was technically mated, he could go and have any number of consorts he wanted. He knew that. Everyone knew that. Even Tygra. So, why some cats in the court still believed that he would someday stick with them, and no one else, mystified him.

He nuzzled the soft head beside him once more. Tygra was different in every aspect. The power he had over the tiger was something he didn't have over anyone else. The cats of the clan could continue looking for him all they wanted, and in the same way they could walk away. No one was going to miss them. That was the one thing Jareid could not control. If someone didn't want to be with him, he or she didn't have to. No one was forced to stay with him. Even if he mated with someone of the clan, that cat would have no more obligation than to give him an heir. After that, or before if the reason was good enough, they could live ignoring each other, or ask for an annulment. Tygra didn't have that option. There wasn't a way out of the mating for him. The official contract was binding, and was to be written in a way that stipulated that Jareid had the right to have the last word in every decision that concerned his mate. For all intents and purposes, the tiger was Jareid's property.

Tygra was the one without any real options. He was both the youngest and the one forced to leave his home. There had never been any doubt that he was to be the submissive partner. And he still had to get used to Jareid's personality.

The jaguar could just ignore him, that was true. There was no law that say that they _had_ to have sex, or even live together. Their mating was the result of a peace treaty, and as such was for life, there was no annulling it. Even so, Jareid could put Tygra aside and pretend that the mating didn't exist. He could happily go and continue having any number of partners he wanted to. In theory, Tygra could do the same, but Ix-Maal wasn't the tiger's home. He would never return to Thundera, and it would be very difficult for him to find someone that would be willing to oversee the fact that he was mated to Jareid, especially after the little mishap with Bali. Besides, the tiger wasn't the type to sleep around, Jareid could tell.

Tygra made a soft sound, and Jareid started to caress the back of his head to soothe him. Yes, he could ignore the teen and find a consort, or many, but he didn't want to. He had no need to go after some greedy, cheating cat, that only wanted position. He already had a companion that wasn't going to leave. One that depended on him. Someone who also was his social equal, seeing that both were princes.

Jareid smirked. His social equal, yes, but not in their intimate relationship. Tygra was _his_ sub, and Jareid had final word on everything that the tiger did or wanted. It was a kind of power that implied a different responsibility. Jareid enjoyed it, but had learned that he could do a lot of damage to Tygra if he abused it. Normally he didn't care. He wasn't used to think about the possible consequences that his actions could bring on others. But this particular other was his life-mate. And Jareid had already found out that he didn't like to hurt his tiger.

He sighed and buried his nose in the stripped head for a moment. It had taken time, but the look of terror had finally started to die out from Tygra's eyes when Jareid was over him. The jaguar vowed that he'd made it disappear entirely. Tygra still smelt of fear whenever they were alone, but it was less intense, and was now mixed with expectation. Jareid knew that the fear would not go completely, but he was striving every night to get Tygra's arousal to smell the strongest.

Jareid considered the tiger's sleeping form. This handsome young cat had been a lot of work. He had never before put such an effort to make sex enjoyable for a partner. Normally he just looked for his own pleasure and didn't care if his bed companion was actually enjoying what he was doing or not. Even in that, Tygra was different.

Maybe it was a tiger thing. That innate ability to keep him interested had to come from somewhere. Jareid smiled, thinking about his other tiger. _His_ in a different way, but still _his_, as Bengali had been accepted into the palace to be Jareid's playmate. Both of them had been closer to adolescence than cubhood then, but Jareid had never shown interest in mingling with other cubs, until Bengali had arrived.

Jareid smirked fondly at the memory. The white tiger had been a novelty for him. Not only in the looks, but also the way he had acted towards him. Their first encounter hadn't gone well at all, and still the white tiger remained his one true friend.

The jaguar kissed Tygra's temple. Yeah, it had to be a tiger's thing. No one else had managed to get him so exasperated and still wanting to come back for more.

Tygra stirred in his sleep, and Jareid scowled, already waiting for the tiger's morning reaction to not find himself alone in bed. The teen's body tensed and his hands pressed against Jareid's chest, trying to push him away. It was a weak push, which meant that Tygra was not entirely awake yet. He did that every morning, and every morning Jareid strengthened his embrace, not allowing the teen to put any space between them. He was used to weak struggle while Tygra regained consciousness, only to finally remain quiet and tense in Jareid's arms for the time it took for him to decide to get up.

This morning though, was different. Tygra stopped pushing as soon as Jareid's arms tightened around him. The jaguar couldn't see the teen's face very well, so he couldn't verify if he was fully awake, but he could see the nose moving. Tygra was sniffing his surroundings. After some seconds, the young body started to relax and Tygra mumbled, still half-asleep.

"…'s m'ate…"

Then his forehead brushed Jareid's neck and a soft purr was heard. The jaguar couldn't believe it. Tygra was cuddling! He welcomed the change with a purr of his own and held the teen closer to him. He was happy. It seemed that Tygra's instincts were finally accepting him as mate.

He groomed the tiger's head languidly, waiting for the young cat to fully regain his senses. He hoped that Tygra was not going to panic then. After all, it was still early, and they had several more minutes to cuddle before they had to rejoin the real world.

* * *

A couple of months later, Baal was in his office with the High Shaman, considering options. It had been a year since the end of the very short war with Thundera, and the treaty stipulated that now Claudus could have his chance to renegotiate some of the terms.

Baal didn't care much about the treaty, but there was one clause that at the moment was annoying him. They had agreed that Claudus could be present at the official ceremony of the mating between Tygra and Jareid. Normally that would be a given. The mating was a pact between the clans. It was almost a requirement that both royal families were present to witness the ceremony, as a gesture of good will between them. At the ceremony, Claudus could see their sons, and after that they could put themselves to do politics and renegotiate the treaty. Simple enough.

Except, that Baal didn't want the lion to see Tygra. He had no problems with Lion-O. Claudus could have re-established communication with his heir at any moment, and the jaguar king wouldn't have minded. Tygra's case however, was different. The tiger's impeding bonding with the jaguar prince was the only point of the treaty that was not open to negotiation. Even if in the letter there seemed to exist a way for Claudus to recover his older son, Baal was not going to let that happen. After all, the tiger had been the only real prize he had taken out of that particular conflict.

They had gone to war for a real stupidity actually. Baal was laying the entire fault at Claudus' feet. It had been the lion's side that had started the mess. After centuries of both kingdoms going about their own business, someone just had had to stick their noses where no one had wanted them.

A long time ago, the jaguar clan had had the reputation of being mercenaries and skilled assassins. The clan had practically exiled themselves since the early days of Third Earth, same as the tigers, as far as Baal knew, but for different reasons. While the tigers had been seen as traitorous and non-trustworthy, the jaguars simply had never agreed with the way the lions ruled. So, the head of the clan had taken his people away from the recently established Thundera, and had proclaimed himself king of the jaguars. Both kingdoms had lived ignoring each other for ages. Thundera would occasionally hear rumours of war between the jaguars and some other evolved species, but never interceded one way or the other. No lion king had ever inquired about the jaguar clan's whereabouts, and the jaguars that did live in Thundera had done so unmolested, as any other Thunderian citizen. Many didn't even know about Ix-Maal existence.

Then, one day, a few of the Thunderian counsellors thought that it'd be a good idea to betray their king. Baal had never known, nor cared, what had been the reason of their displeasure. He only knew that they had thought that the jaguars were the perfect instrument to get away with their plan.

By mere chance they had found one of Ix-Maal warriors, who had been visiting the city for a few weeks. Baal liked to be informed about the world outside the jungle, and often sent scouts to go around and bring him news. This one had been astonished to be approached by three council members, two lions and a panther, with such a… proposition for his leader.

They had wanted war. A staged war, but it still would mean an attack on the city. They had wanted an excuse to show of Claudus, saying that he couldn't get his own people in line. Also, a battle would be the perfect distraction for an assassination. No one would ask questions about the king's death. They had offered the jaguars a substantial sum of money, as well as reinstate the entire clan as citizens of Thundera, allowing the head of the clan in the council. They had also offered a big portion of land if the heir to the throne ended up dead too.

The jaguar had almost laughed in their faces. When he had told Baal the incident, the jaguar king had scoffed in despise. He had never held any respect for his lion counterpart. He had always thought that Thundera's kings had been too self-complacent for a long time. Having, not one traitor but three, in one's own council, ones that certainly knew no history by the way, hadn't improved Baal's estimation of Claudus. How blind or soft could the lion be?

He had decided to ignore the situation. Other rulers' problems didn't interest him. Besides, as much as he despised the lions, he had had no real reason to enter in conflict with them. It'd be useless and a waste of time.

Unfortunately, the reason had presented itself a few months later in the form of a very disgruntled Thunderian jaguar, who had been through hell trying to find where in the forsaken enormity of Third Earth was Ix-Maal located.

He had told the king that the traitors had taken matters on their own hands, and there had been disturbs and menaces to the lion heir, all of which had been linked to the jaguars. Jaga, Thundera's High Cleric and Claudus' personal counsellor, had ordered all jaguars to cut ties with Ix-Maal. Frankly, the majority of the Thunderians had thought he had been joking. For them, Ix-Maal had been not less than a myth. But then, there had been attacks. The jaguar told the king that he had been caught in the middle of a rampage, caused by an explosion in the market. An explosion that had been blamed on him! Someone had planted evidence on him, and he had been banished from the city with orders to return to his leader and take him two letters. The poor fellow had looked for Ix-Maal because he had not known what else he could have done.

Baal had been annoyed. But he still could have ignored the situation. It had still been not his problem if the Thunderians killed themselves. Oh, but he had been curious and had opened the blasted letters. The first one had done nothing to improve his mood. It had been from Claudus. He had ordered Baal to present himself before Thundera's council, informing him that failing to do so will be considered high treason, and deserving of retaliation.

Well! The gal of the cat!

But the cherry on the cake had been Jaga's letter. The cleric had used the title of Head of the Clan, and as such he had ordered Baal to state his loyalty to their only king and move the village under his care to the plains of Thundera. He was to present himself to their king to clear their intentions.

Baal had been furious. It was preposterous! Who had told that old cat that he was head of anything?!

Fine, they had wanted war so badly, they had gotten one, and they were not going to like the outcome! If the lion king couldn't control his own council, maybe Baal would show him how it was done!

Before launching the attack, Baal had also considered what he could get out of the entire mess. He could just destroy Thundera as his grandfather had done with Avista when he had stolen the Tech stone. But that would not grant him anything, and it'd have no sense. They could use some Thundrillium from the mines that were technically Thundera's land. That'd be something, but not really that much. Ix-Maal had no real need for resources. Then, Baal had thought about Claudus' sons, more particularly the tiger.

The history annals considered the tigers a strong, proud, and belligerent clan. Too proud for their own good, if Bengali's personal history was to be considered. They had also been portrayed as exceptional pilots, excellent at stealth and dexterity, and extremely loyal. But they were also very rare. Baal had been looking for them since Bengali had arrived to Ix-Maal and hadn't had any luck. Either the clan was already extinct, or the survivors were hiding very well.

However, the point with Claudus' adopted son that had attracted Baal's curiosity was the rumours about him. The people of Thundera saw the tiger as the best fit for heir. Much better than Claudus' blood son. There was apparently a general discontent in the palace about the crown heir. Many saw the lion cub as inept to bear the crown, and lamented the fact that Tygra was not a lion himself.

Baal had heard the stories before. He couldn't help but scoff derisively at Claudus' stupidity. One never lets the crown heir to be slandered and disrespected in such a way by the ones that one day would be following his orders. Baal's son may have been spoiled and barely able to control himself, but no one would even think about replacing him.

His son had made Baal see the possible outcome of a war in a different light. The High Shaman had recommended mating Jareid a couple of years ago. He had said that maybe having an established couple would make the prince calm down. At the very least it'd force him to be more discreet.

At the moment Baal had scoffed at the suggestion. As much as he wished that Jareid showed a bit of more interest in his royal responsibilities, and less in fucking the entire court, he just couldn't picture his son mated. The idea however had had its appeal. Jareid, whatever his shortcomings, was very loyal to the ones he considered deserving of such loyalty. Too bad that very few cats fell in that category. The problem was to find a cat, any cat, that Jareid would consider worthy of his company. Baal could not in good consciousness betroth someone to Jareid out of the blue. His son would follow his orders, but it'd be a hell of a life for whoever his mate happened to be. It was doomed to end in disaster. Jareid needed someone who could see him as a real cat, not the heir, the future king. Someone who could be considered an equal.

There had been a time when Baal had entertained thoughts of betrothing Bengali to Jareid. The white tiger had been the only one that the prince didn't look at with contempt. But Bengali wasn't a noble, and while a mating between the two could have worked in a personal level, the court was going to be a problem. Besides, even if he didn't act like it, Bengali was too dominant for Jareid's liking.

With his son in mind, Baal had looked at the information he had had about Claudus' adopted son. The tiger was too young, he had just turned fifteen, but maybe that would be an advantage. He won't be comparing Jareid with anyone. He could be moulded, trained, to make a proper companion for the jaguar prince. Maybe his very youth would call to Jareid's caring instinct. Baal had always suspected that Jareid would love to have someone to care about, someone that would depend on him in someway. The jaguar prince had been ecstatic when his baby sister had been born. He had even helped to care for her. The gods protect anyone that'd dare to hurt, or court, Yeana.

Baal had decided then that he wanted the tiger prince for his son. Jareid had looked intrigued when he had mentioned that Claudus' oldest was a tiger. It'd be interesting to see how his prince reacted to an arrangement like the one he had in mind.

He had debated whether it was best to kill the lions or not. He had wanted Tygra with no other place to go, and he wasn't so fool as to believe that the tiger wouldn't eventually learn to move about the jungle. At least enough for it to cease to be an obstacle if he wanted to escape the city. If he had no family, and no Thundera left, he'd have nowhere to escape to. But then it'd be too much like taking him as a slave. He'd never see the jaguars as any other than his captors, and Jareid would become a master, an owner, not a mate.

He had decided to take the tiger as hostage. An offering of peace. That'd give Tygra a purpose, some reason to remain away from home. If Claudus himself sent his son away, the tiger would simply obey, the choice would be taken from him.

The idea of taking the lion heir as well had been the Shamans'. The reasoning had been to provide some kind of reminder to the tiger, as well as some consolation. The tiger was young, and it'd be difficult for him to adapt to a new home all of a sudden. Besides, it'd prevent the lion from giving troubles when he'd get older.

Baal had been dubious. He hadn't thought that the lion was necessary, and knowing Jareid, the kit could become something to hold over Tygra's head. At the time Baal had wanted the tiger to forget his previous home, not to be reminded of it. Besides, based on what he had heard, he doubted that the relation between the brothers was very close. There surely was much resentment between them, maybe they'd even hated each other, being together would be no good.

But when he had seen them, he had changed his mind. The warriors had already informed him that the princes had been together in the lion's bedroom, and that the tiger had actually fought them, trying to protect his brother. Baal had liked the attitude, but also had truly caught on the fact that Tygra was indeed too young. Teens in general were prone to act rashly, perhaps having the lion with them would prevent unnecessary troubles.

He had observed the royal family interact in front of others, and later on, how the old lion conducted himself alone. He had realized some things. One of them was that Claudus was patently proud of his oldest son. He showed that in the way he spoke of him, in the posture he took when the tiger was around, or was the point of the conversation, while he was a lot less enthusiastic when discussing the young lion. The way Claudus spoke about his blood heir gave the impression that the lion knew that his younger son would one day be the king, but didn't really believe it. Claudus would have preferred that Tygra were the lion. A message that was broadcasted subtly, but continuously.

It was obvious that the effect should be that Tygra acted more like the heir he wasn't while Lion-O looked for other things to entertain himself. The lion cub was the crown heir, but he wasn't expected to rule. And still, Tygra was being trained like some kind of bodyguard for his brother. A menial task for one that promised so much. A counsellor would be better suited for him, even Chief Commander. Oh, but then Tygra'd end up ruling eventually, behind the throne, but everyone would know who was really the one with the crown. The lion king was trying to dismiss the tiger's abilities, while at the same time expecting him to do better than his brother. Claudus was just preparing the way for a horrible betrayal, or at the very least a deep rift between the brothers. Either way, things were not looking good for the next Thunderian king.

As he had finished the analysis of the situation, Baal had known that if he only took the tiger away, Claudus was going to try everything he could to have him back. It'd be an endless war. But if both princes were in Ix-Maal, Claudus would be forced to try and retrieve his heir first. The king must have a successor, and it had to be a lion. Baal wondered for a moment what would have happened had Lion-O had never been born.

He dismissed the thought as useless. The important thing was that his plan had worked better than expected. His Jareid was calmer and better centred. He still acted as if he was too good for the world, but his entire sexual focus was now on Tygra, private, like it was meant to be. Somehow Tygra had signified security. Someone that wasn't with him because it was necessary to gain access to the throne. The tiger was there because he had been ordered to, but he was doing a conscious effort to get the most of the deal, to at least be content with it. He was learning to cope with Jareid's outbursts and getting used to his roughness.

It hadn't been easy. Baal had seen how horrid the first month had been for Tygra. He had feared that Jareid had managed to blow it and destroy any chance he could have had for a real mate. Tygra had been terrified of Jareid's mere presence. You could see it in his eyes. Thankfully, the jaguar prince had seen reason. Baal didn't know how his son had managed to correct his mistake. He suspected that Bengali had something to do with that, but it wasn't really important. What mattered was that Jareid had found the way to salvage the situation, and Tygra was, not happy with him, but at least accepting.

Leaving Jareid aside, both princes were handling the changes to their lives pretty well. Tygra was quickly becoming one of the best trainees in the hunters, and his tutors and trainers spoke highly of him. Lion-O wasn't doing bad either. He had earned the respect of the kingdom's best engineers. He was curious and ingenious, and also very charismatic. The palace servants were fond of the young lion, and Yeana liked to play with him from time to time. He worried for his brother, but at the same time was happy to tease him whenever he could. The relationship between the brothers seemed closer than Baal had believed. Who knew? He may have done them both a favour getting them out of Thundera.

And that brought the jaguar king back to his present problem. He didn't want Claudus close to Tygra, who was still struggling with his new mate, and trying to adapt. Of the two brothers it was the tiger the one who most missed their home, and Baal didn't want him to have any reminders of it. If possible, he'd prefer to cut any ties the tiger still had to his previous life. Except the lion cub. Even Baal could see that loosing his brother would be detrimental in some way for Tygra.

But he couldn't just forbid Claudus to see his offspring. The treaty clearly specified that he could check on his sons' well-being at the year, and Baal knew that the lion king would demand to see them in person. The delegation that would bring Claudus to Ix-Maal for the ceremony was due to part the next day. Baal could still decide to go with them, and that way there'd be no need for his lion counterpart to put a foot in the city. But he still would have to take the two princes with him. The last thing Tygra needed was to see Thundera again.

Likewise, he didn't need to be reminded of the expectations his father had on him. Claudus surely was counting on the tiger to perform his duty as a Thunderian prince, but he wasn't expecting Tygra to ever be happy with it. No. Seeing Claudus would only remind Tygra that he was supposed to hate the arrangement they had been forced to do, and that his father expected that he was fighting the jaguar prince's advances in any way he could. Baal couldn't have that, not when things between Jareid and Tygra were going so well, and so close to the official ceremony.

Not to mention that Claudus didn't need to know that Jareid had blatantly ignored his petition, and Tygra was already as good as mated to the jaguar.

"Why don't we leave the choice to him?" The High Shaman suggested. Baal lifted an eyebrow to him.

"Choice? I don't want Tygra to see him in any way!"

"Then, let him be the one to decide not to. The treaty does not stipulate that he absolutely _has_ to see both kits. And there is no clause that says that they are allowed to visit Thundera either. This is when Lion-O can come in handy."

"What do you have in mind?"

"King Claudus has had a year to find a way to renegotiate the treaty. There are several points he could have focused on, but his priority would be his heir. Let's make things easier for him. Tell him directly that you'd prefer to not have him visiting Ix-Maal, and that you're willing to take one of the princes to Thundera, let him be the one to decide which one he wants to see."

"What if he chooses to see Tygra, or to force his way to be in the ceremony? He loves the tiger. He may as well decide that he wants to check on him personally."

"He may, but I don't really think so. If you're willing to go to Thundera and take the lion with you, it'd be implying that you're also willing to let him return if Claudus can come up with a good enough trade. Besides, he still has hope that he would be able to recover Tygra in one more year. Think about it. If it was you, what would you do?"

Baal gave it little thought. If given a choice, he'd jump at the chance to have his heir back. Claudus would do the same. No matter his personal preferences, he'd be forced to choose Lion-O to go back to him. But it'd be a shame to loose Lion-O, the kit showed so much promise. However, it was important that Tygra bonded entirely with Jareid without any sort of interference. The tiger had to be convinced that there was no way back for him. Thundera had to cease to be home, one way or the other.

"Won't it cause problems with Tygra? Both of them are pretty close, and the tiger is barely out of his depressive state. Besides, sometimes I have the impression that he's only going on because his brother is here."

"He has been better lately, and it's not like he's going to die if the lion is not close. We can propose for Lion-O to spend some time here, perhaps one or two months a year. He can check on his brother instead of Claudus. That way the lion king would have no reason to visit."

"Nice. Sounds good. Let's go see Kaleb and send the message to Thundera."

Both jaguars went in search of the High Counsellor. If all were according to plan, everything should have to be ready for their trip the next morning.


	7. Chapter 7

**WARNINGS:** This contains Slash, and abuse, as well as mpreg. It is dark at the beginning and treats themes for mature audience. Do not read if you don't like it.

***Disclaimer:** I don't own Thundercats, or any character or event associated to it, and I'm not making any money from this fiction.

CHAPTER 07. TALES AND MEMORIES.

Claudus did ask for Lion-O.

Baal announced at diner that the lion was to go with them to their visit. He had been expecting a happy reaction on the lion's part, and had suggested Jareid to be ready to contain any fit of jealousy his mate could display. What he got instead was two straight faces that looked at him with disbelief for a few seconds before horror, and fear appeared on Lion-O's expressive face, while Tygra looked down, concentrating on his food without a word.

Yeana pouted at him, and declared that she didn't want Lion-O and Tygra to go away. Xilara only smiled at their daughter and explained to her that only Lion-O would be going, and that it was an important visit to the lion's father. The girl brightened then, and wished her friend a nice trip. Lion-O nodded absently. Neither brother touched their food. Tygra was obviously just playing with it, and Lion-O looked like he wanted to say something but didn't dare.

When Xilara took Yeana to bed, the young lion finally found the courage to talk.

"Sir, why isn't Tygra going?"

The tiger didn't look up, but stopped all movement. Jareid scowled at the lion. Baal was curious enough to answer.

"Your father specifically asked to see you. We are supposed to review the treaty and renegotiate some of the terms if he can."

Tygra's ears dropped. Lion-O bit his lips and looked nervously at his brother. Suddenly Tygra stood up and excused himself from the table. Jareid went after him with only a cursory glance at his father. Lion-O waited a minute before speaking again.

"Could he have asked at any time to see either one of us? Why is he asking for me now?"

"Well, not at any time. Our pact specifies that he can check on your welfare every year."

"So, he could have asked to see us both. Why only me?"

"You're his blood son, it's logical that he'd want to reassure his own court that you're fine." Lion-O scoffed derisively at that. Baal pretended that he didn't notice. "Besides, if he attends the ceremony he'd see Tygra then."

Lion-O scowled furiously.

"Why not wait 'till the ceremony then? He'd see both of us at the same time."

"Maybe he just wants to be sure that you're unharmed. After all, you're his youngest."

For Baal's surprise, the lion growled quietly. He excused himself and walked away from the table, grumbling something about Claudus just wanting to be sure that Tygra was doing his job.

* * *

Tygra went to Jareid's bedroom because he didn't have anywhere else to go. He didn't know why he was so upset, but he was, and he wanted some comforting place to be in. Sadly, the closest thing to that was the training courtyard, or the newest addition to Jareid's room. The jaguar had put a big puff sofa close to the window just for Tygra, and it quickly had become the tiger's favourite spot.

Tygra climbed on the piece of furniture as soon as he entered the bedroom. He lied down and crossed his arms and legs, almost curling inwards. Jareid took an uneasy look at him and approached cautiously.

"Are you ok? What's the matter?"

Tygra pouted. He didn't have any reason to be mad. He should be happy that Lion-O was going to Thundera. Right?

"It's nothing."

Jareid however, believed that he had an idea of what was troubling Tygra. In the year they had spent together they had had plenty of opportunities to know each other better. So, he crouched in front of his tiger, and looked at him.

"He knows that he has more chance to see Lion-O. I wouldn't let you go to Thundera anyway."

There was a pause while Tygra mulled that in his mind.

"I know. You're that much of a bastard."

Jareid crocked a smile. He didn't mind to be the bad cat. Tygra had no business in Thundera. Besides, Claudus would be there at the ceremony. It was tradition for the parents to witness the bonding of their children after all, more so in a political situation like theirs. He was about to comment on that, when Tygra finished his thought.

"But he could have asked."

Jareid frowned, knowing instinctually that there was something deeper in Tygra's heart that was bothering him. He didn't know what he could do, so he only caressed Tygra's cheek and made him look up.

"Maybe he did. Father can also say no if he considers it unnecessary. Who knows the dealings between them?"

Tygra bit his lip and sighed. He shouldn't be upset. Lion-O was the youngest. It was sensible to be more worried about him.

"I suppose I'm just being childish."

Jareid kissed his nose, and pulled him out of his comfortable puff.

"Come here. I'm going to make you forget everything about Claudus and Thundera."

Tygra let himself be carried to the bed, but even Jareid's skilled hands weren't enough to make him stop thinking this time.

* * *

Early in the morning of the next day, Lion-O was at the door of Jareid's set of rooms, asking for entrance. The jaguar didn't look too happy to see him there, but Lion-O could care less.

"Can I talk to Tygra?"

Jareid grunted and pointed the lion to the couch in the sitting room. Then, he disappeared through the door to the study. After some moments, Tygra got out, and looked questioningly at his brother.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be getting ready for the trip?"

There was that cutting tone in the tiger's words that Lion-O had been so familiar with in Thundera. The lion clenched his teeth in frustration. It had been long since the last time Tygra had talked to him with venom in his voice. Now it was back. Lion-O wanted it gone for good.

"I'm not going." He declared decidedly. Tygra frowned at him.

"What?"

"I don't want to go, and I don't have to. Father will come to the ceremony shortly anyway. There's no need for me to go."

"What are you talking about? Father asked for you Lion-O! He wants to see you! And it's your chance to see home!"

"Well, I don't want to see him! Or Thundera!" Lion-O said petulantly.

Tygra growled lowly. How could his brother be so infuriatingly selfish? He knew the lion missed their father! Why was he pulling this scene now?

"Lion-O, you're going on this trip, or so the Great Thunder help me, I'm dragging you into the ship myself! You're going to see father, and reassure him that you're fine! Maybe it's the only chance he'd have to see one of us, and you're not spoiling it!"

Lion-O bristled. He didn't like been yelled at, and didn't like that Tygra had returned overnight to be mean to him. Then his brain caught on the last sentence his brother had said.

"What do you mean 'his only chance'? What about the ceremony?"

Tygra huffed and crossed his arms.

"Come on Lion-O. Why would Baal take the time to go to Thundera to review the treaty, if father would be coming shortly? He doesn't want father to come! No Thunderian knows how to find Ix-Maal. I seriously doubt that Baal wants to give away the secret. He must have given father a choice, and he chose to see you. So you're going!"

Lion-O frowned in concentration. Tygra was right, Baal was not going to simply give away his advantage over Thundera. But the treaty would have forced him to take both of them to see their father. Why only him? Had Claudus really only asked for him? Why? He didn't need comfort or his father's worry. He was fine. He even felt a bit guilty for been so fine in fact. He wasn't the one about to mate against his will. Tygra needed their father's support the most right now. Lion-O looked at his brother with a mixture of nervousness and anguish.

"Perhaps, if I don't go in the trip, father would have to come. Don't you want to see him too Tygra?"

The tiger bit his lip and sighed. He wanted to see his father, but he didn't want Claudus to see what he was becoming. He didn't want his father to realize that he had all but given up to Jareid. He scowled at his hands. Maybe Claudus knew that he'd have to surrender. The pact was written with the idea that Tygra would have to be the submissive partner. Maybe Claudus just didn't want to see Tygra like that.

"Listen Lion-O, we're in a complicated situation here. We don't really know what's the arrangement that Baal and father have. Maybe you were meant to stay here only a year. Maybe father has found something that'd allow him to negotiate your return."

"But you…"

"I'm going to be fine. I'm starting to suspect that this is Baal's way to tell us that I'm not going back home."

Lion-O was aghast. He knew how much Tygra loved Thundera. He had been the favourite prince. The favourite son also. Lion-O had always envied him the close relation he had with their father. It was unfair that now, when Tygra needed that closeness, he was being left technically alone. Lion-O was going to state his position again, but Tygra chose that moment to sit beside him and put a hand on his shoulders.

"Look, it's only a day. Father would see you and confirm that Baal is treating us well. You'd answer his questions and get to wander around the palace and pick up some news. You'd see Jaga and show him what you've learned. This is the only chance in a year that we have to get some news from home Lion-O. Maybe I'd get to go next year."

Lion-O sighed. Tygra wanted to hear from home, and no one was going to make it easy for him. If his brother was not allowed to see Thundera, Lion-O supposed he could be his proxy. But he still felt uncomfortable about the entire situation.

"Fine. I'd go. But father better has a good excuse for not asking for you."

Tygra bit his lip, but answered quietly.

"Maybe he did, and was denied."

Lion-O looked very put out. He had not thought of that.

"Well, he better had."

Tygra felt touched by his brother's words. He had gotten closer to Lion-O, and he realized that he had been relying heavily on the lion's confidence and enthusiasm. He caressed the red mane and allowed himself to be grateful for his brother's presence. Without him he wouldn't have survived Jareid's first approach. He wouldn't have even tried.

"You better go and get ready then. You're leaving in a few minutes."

Lion-O nodded and hurried to his own room. Tygra saw no need to go back to the bedroom, so he decided to go to the kitchens to see if he could eat something quickly before going to say goodbye to the delegation.

* * *

Jareid was going too. Tygra had known that, but somehow it still surprised him to see the jaguar prince ready to board the ship.

The jaguar ostentatiously put Bengali in charge of Tygra's well being while he was gone. The tiger bristled and growled at his mate that he didn't need a caretaker. Jareid only smirked, and grabbed the back of Tygra's neck, forcing him to expose the mark on his right side. Jareid licked at it and ordered his tiger to be good or he'd have to punish him. Tygra's growl intensified and he glared daggers at Jareid when the jaguar finally let him go. The obnoxious prince blatantly ignored his mate's discomfort and kissed him on the lips in goodbye.

Lion-O said farewell to Xilara and Yeana, and then hugged his brother, promising to give his greetings to their father.

Tygra looked as Lion-O boarded the ship, followed by Jareid. He had an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. He watched with worry as the ship elevated and flew through the sky. His hands were clenched, and he couldn't make himself to move away, even when the ship was no longer on sight.

Bengali's hand on his shoulder brought him back to reality.

"Come Tygra. You still have a tutor to go to. Besides, we wouldn't want Jareid to get angry because you spent too long in plain sight of everyone." The white tiger joked. Tygra glared at him and growled.

"Ha, ha. Very funny Bengali. If that were the case, I'd be sure to tell him that it was your fault!"

"Hey!"

Both tigers walked back to the palace. Tygra still looked back one more time before crossing the threshold. He couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling that told him that he had seen his brother for the last time.

* * *

It was a long day for Tygra. After his morning lessons, and a rather uncomfortable lunch with the queen, he was told that training had been suspended for the day. So, he found himself without anything to do.

He debated for a moment if he should go to the study and read, but he was too anxious and was not going to be able to focus in the reading. He could go down to one of the training courtyards, but it was still early afternoon, and he was bound to find someone who'd want to speak with him, or offer to train together. He wasn't in the mood to put on with any jaguar at the moment, so he decided to go and pester Bengali. Jareid had named him Tygra's caretaker after all, so he could as well do his job.

The white tiger was surprised to see him in the Shamans' wing, and chuckled when the teen admitted that he was bored, and starting to get nervous because the delegation wasn't back already. Bengali reminded him that they weren't expected until sometime around diner. Tygra pouted, and started to look around Bengali's office while the white tiger put some papers in order.

"So, why did you decide to become a Shaman?"

"Oh well, my mother is one, and I always felt some kind of attraction for magic. I loved what she could do, I could almost see the energy surrounding her when she performed an incantation, or was healing someone. You know that our technology is very good, but some things are still treated with magic. One gets better faster if you combine the two."

"Oh."

Tygra fell silent and started to think. He didn't know much about Bengali's private life. He knew that he was an orphan, like himself, and that he had arrived to Ix-Maal by chance. He had two sisters, the older one was a pilot, and the youngest prepared ointments and other medicines for the people of the city, though she wasn't a fully trained Shaman. Apparently, to practice shamanism required special abilities. Tygra didn't know the special circumstances surrounding Bengali's adoption, or how exactly he came to be in Ix-Maal in the first place. He had never dared to ask.

"Ben, do you know if there are more tigers around? I mean, our clan had to go somewhere. Did you ever know about them, or your…? You know… your real family?"

Bengali smiled at him, and leaned on the end of the desk, close to the younger tiger.

"I have a good idea of what happened to the clan. We lived somewhere in the forlorn mountains. The white tigers were a minor tribe that lived apart from the rest of the clan. Nevertheless, we also were affected when the illness hit. They said that it was an epidemic that had afflicted the entire population. We got contaminated because of our constant trading with the orange tigers that had fallen sick first. We cut off all contact with them, but by then the majority of our people were already very sick. Some started to leave the town, my father among them.

"I was just turning eleven when we left the mountains. My mother and brother had already died, and father wanted to save me by taking me away as far as he could. We crossed the mountains, and a good part of the plains of Teneba. In a month we arrived to the jungle. By then, my father was already sick, and it was evident that I'd get it too. He wanted to find a village or a city, some place where we could find a healer. But we got lost in the jungle, and soon father wasn't able to walk anymore. I was also starting to show the symptoms and the fever knocked me down.

"A jaguar hunter found us. My father was already dying, and there was nothing anyone could do for him, save take his cub.

"I woke up in my new family's home. Mother managed to control the disease, and the Shamans found a cure in no time. The king was curious and sent scouts to the mountains to see if they could find the clan, but they never found anything.

"The hunter who'd found me adopted me, and after a year I became a Shaman apprentice."

Ben looked at Tygra with fondness. To be the only tiger in an entire city could get lonely. He knew better than anyone how hard was to try and forget one home to adopt a new one in order to survive. Tygra's situation only made it harder. The young tiger had not been running away from a dying town. He had been given away, taken, like some kind of prize. It wasn't a wonder the teen still felt like Jareid's favourite toy. He caressed the young head, and Tygra smiled.

"I think it was almost at the same time that rumours were heard about Thundera finally having a prince. Only it wasn't a lion."

Tygra licked his lips and shrugged.

"I was told that I fell from the sky in a floating basket. The king and queen had no cubs, so they took me in. I don't remember anything about that. I was not even a year old."

Bengali got closer to his young charge and hugged him. He could feel the sadness in the teen's voice when talking about the only parents he had ever met.

"I'm sure your family loves you, and they'd be here to offer you support. You won't be alone."

Tygra sighed, knowing that Bengali was talking about the ceremony. He focused on the thought that even if Claudus wasn't allowed, at least Lion-O would be there. Tygra was afraid that he wouldn't be able to go on with the ceremony if he was alone. Those thoughts immediately brought images of Jareid to the forefront of his mind and he scowled in mild annoyance. Was the cat's personality so strong that he just had to be a constant presence in his head?

The thought of the jaguar prince, strangely made him analyze another thing Bengali had said.

"You said that you were eleven when you arrived here. That means that you're only a year older than Jareid?" He asked, hoping to not sound rude. Ben smiled.

"I know, I look older. We Shamans just seem to age faster. The magic we use takes its toll."

"Oh."

Tygra bit his lip. There was another thing he had been curious about.

"Something else in your mind prince?" Bengali chuckled. Tygra's cheeks coloured a bit, but he nodded.

"I was wondering, how could you… mmm… get on with Jareid? I mean, he treats you different than the rest of the cats. He treats people like objects."

"Ah, well that's because in his mind no one deserves to even be in his presence. Baal allowed him far too much while growing up."

"And how come it's not the same with you?"

"You really think so?"

Tygra huffed and rolled his eyes.

"It's somewhat obvious. When you're talking to him you can tell that he's actually listening. Even if he's quick to dismiss your worries. Any other cat, well, in the year I've been here, I've actually never seen him give another cat the time of the day. Not outside meetings at least. Whenever he happens to make small talk with others, well, I don't know. He has this tone that implies that he's doing you a favour just noticing you. He looks everyone with such derision. Even Lion-O. I've seen him when my brother is with me. It's like he's looking a particularly cute, but annoying pet! I know the look. I've used it."

Ben laughed at the notion of Lion-O as a cute pet. Jareid certainly did make others feel like so much dirt in his presence.

"You are very observant my prince."

"So, what's different with you? It's sometimes weird the way that Jareid seems to trust no one but you. It's like you're the only one he's capable to actually see."

Ben sighed. Jareid was a very difficult cat to get along with, and he seemed to rebel in that fact. Bengali had always been hard pressured to sort him out.

"I honestly don't know. We were young kits when we met, and he already was a bastard, I can tell you that. A spoiled kitten used to get away with anything. I think I was the first cat who told him that he couldn't do something."

Tygra chuckled and lifted his eyebrows.

"Really? You told Jareid 'No'? I can't imagine him taking that very well."

"He didn't. It was a disaster. I'm not sure what he was thinking, but I was very surprised that he asked to see me again."

Tygra tried to imagine a young Jareid pouting, and smiled.

"Was it too difficult to make him behave?"

Ben huffed and smirked at the same time.

"He never behaved, and the adults never were any help when he was around. Let me tell you how it was…"

OoOoOoOoO

_The palace was huge. Bengali had never seen anything like it, or the strange machines and gadgets that littered the place. He remained close to Eékatl for the entire meeting with the king. A king that was curious about Ben's birth town, and wanted information about it, and the tigers' clan. Bengali answered what he could, and sighed in relief when they were dismissed. He wasn't used to be the centre of attention, and the king's stare made him very nervous. _

"_Come on Bengali. Let's go home."_

_Eékatl herded his new son out of the meeting hall. He was glad that king Baal had not had any problems wit him adopting the tiger. He had promised the kit's father that he'd give the boy a home, and he doubted that it was wise to return him to his hometown. _

_If there was still a town._

_The illness that had ailed the tigers had been a deadly one. His wife had not been sure that they'd be able to cure the kit when Eékatl had first taken him home. Fortunately, Bengali's body had reacted favourably to the treatment, and the Shamans had declared him healthy and free of the disease after a few weeks. _

_The hunter took one small hand in his larger one, and guided the tiger through the entrance hall and into the front courtyard. Ben was still very shy. He missed his deceased family and his home, but Eékatl was sure that it'd pass, and that Bengali will get used to his new family. Eékatl's two daughters were fascinated with their new brother, and had been trying to show him everything they could. Ben was a good kit, calm and observant. He shouldn't have any problems blending in their society._

_Before father and son gave two steps towards the gates, a voice called to Eékatl. The hunter stopped and looked to his left to see his general calling. He nodded and released his son's hand, turning to him._

"_Ben, I have to speak with my superior. Wait for me by those trees, it'd be only a couple of minutes."_

_Bengali nodded and Eékatl walked away. The young tiger looked around and spotted a bench near some trees at the far side of the yard. There was a path close by that Bengali thought would lead to one of the gardens. He ignored it for the moment. He didn't want to wander away too far and get lost. He sat on the bench and watched the ample front yard. _

_There wasn't much to see. The big gate was closed, and only a few guards were standing by it, and on the top of the walls. Ben liked the palace and the jungle, but it was too hot for him. Even under the tree shadow he felt like he was going to melt. He was a bit drowsy because of the heat, and so he was startled when a voice sounded right beside him._

"_What are you?"_

_Ben jumped and turned around. A jaguar kit, about his age, was standing too close to him, and looking down at him like he was some strange bug. Ben didn't like to be stared at, and apparently took too long to answer, because the jaguar kit reached out with his right hand and poked and pinched Ben's bare arm. The tiger gave an indignant cry and stood up, so he could see the jaguar face to face._

"_Hey! Hands off! What's your problem?"_

"_Where are your spots?"_

_Ben was sidetracked for a second and nearly gaped at the other kit._

"_Spots? I don't have spots. I'm a white tiger. Tigers have stripes. And it's no reason for you to go poking and pinching people! That's rude!" He said as he rubbed the sore spot on his arm. The jaguar scowled at him._

"_I can poke and pinch all I want!"_

"_Yeah, well, I don't like it, and you're not poking or pinching me!"_

_The kit pushed him, and Ben pushed back. The jaguar wasn't expecting it, and he fell on his butt. Wide blue eyes stared up at the tiger in disbelief. Ben was scowling._

"_Get away from me!"_

_He turned around huffing in annoyance, and looking for the place his father had gone to. He gave two steps, and then yelped in surprise as he was tackled from behind and taken to the ground._

"_What the fuck…!"_

_He turned around as quickly as he could, and tried to stop the barrage of fists that were hitting him. He soon started to hit back and struggled to grab any part of the other kit that he could use for leverage. He thought that he could hear someone yelling, but he was busy trying to get the kit off him. He managed to grab the neck and lock a thigh with his leg. Both kittens rolled around on the ground, fists and kicks flying about, and struggling to get the upper hand._

_Finally, Ben managed to pin the jaguar down and sat on him, baring teeth and growling. The other kit was growling too, but he looked a bit shocked. Bengali was going to demand to be left alone, when an arm surrounded his waist and lifted him. He mewled and was put standing on the floor, facing Eékatl._

"_Bengali! What happened? You can't be fighting here!"_

"_But he started it!" Ben said indignantly. "He pinched me, and wouldn't leave me alone. He tackled me!"_

_Eékatl growled. He was a fool, he should have told Ben to stay away from the prince. He had no doubt that Jareid had been the one to hit first, but that wouldn't matter to Baal. The hunter looked behind him to where Jareid still was sitting on the ground, surrounded by the few guards that had been on duty, and growling to whoever dared to get too close to him. Both kits had several bruises and cuts. That was no good at all. His general walked towards him._

"_Eékatl, take the kit out of here before the prince starts calling for his father. You know how Baal is."_

_The hunter nodded and picked Bengali up to carry him home. The tiger grunted and put his chin on Eékatl's shoulder. The last thing he saw was a pair of blue eyes scowling at him, before a female shaman obstructed his view._

* * *

_Jareid only had superficial bruises and a swollen lip, nothing to worry about. Still, his mother fussed over him and reprimanded him calmly about being fighting like a peasant. She then proceeded to kiss and groom his short mane, and gave him a piece of candy fruit to forget the incident. _

_However, he couldn't stop wondering about the new kit. It had been the first time someone had actually fought with him. Training didn't count. He wasn't allowed to roll on the floor in the training, and even there every other kit was so damned careful to not hit him with real force. It was stupid. He knew they were trying to not anger him, but they were doing it anyway. Only the older teens and his trainer fought with him like it was supposed to be, but never outside training. _

_Also, he was curious about the tiger. The noble kits bored him and he preferred to be away from them. Maybe the white cat would be more interesting? At the very least he could talk about another place, different to the jungle. Shaila, his healer, had said that he came from the mountains!_

_His father asked him at diner if he wasn't hurt, and he stated proudly that he wasn't. Baal left it at that, somewhat surprised that Jareid hadn't complained about the tiger making him angry, and willing to just for once forget the incident. But when they finished diner, Jareid suddenly asked._

"_What's the tiger's name?"_

_Both Xilara and Baal looked at him in wonder, and the queen smiled._

"_His name's Bengali. I think he's a year older than you dear."_

_Jareid looked pensive. A year older. That wasn't so much. He could still grow taller._

"_Is he coming again tomorrow?"_

_Baal scowled. It was odd that Jareid showed interest in another cub. Maybe it was because Ben was not a jaguar._

"_I think he'd have duties in his own home. Besides, didn't you fight with him today? I wouldn't have thought you'd want to see him again."_

"_But it was fun! I want to do it again! The next time I'm going to win!"_

_Baal didn't think that the tiger had been having fun. He didn't even know what the fight had been about, but he had enough experience to know that the little tiger was probably wondering what exactly had happened too. But Jareid was smiling, and he looked truly interested. Xilara however was not so sure._

"_Jareid, I don't think that fighting is a good way to have fun. You could get hurt."_

"_But mom, we have healers!" Jareid whined. "And he actually fought back, no one ever does! I want to really win!"_

_Xilara was about to protest, but Baal put his hand over hers and crocked a half-smile._

"_Some bruises are not going to kill him. Besides, he needs someone he can play with."_

"_So, he's coming tomorrow?"_

"_We'll see if Eékatl can bring him over."_

_Jareid knew that that was as good as a yes. He brightened and jumped from his seat._

"_Thank you dad!"_

_He kissed good night to his parents and ran away happily. Xilara was still worried about him._

"_Baal, fighting is not the same as playing. It's not the way to make friends."_

"_Xila, you know that Jareid is not like other kittens. He never socializes with anyone his own age. If fighting is the only way he can get close to someone, we should let him."_

"_Bengali's parents aren't going to be happy if the kit gets hurt. Jareid doesn't control his own force when he's truly mad."_

"_There's no reason for him to get to that point. Besides, it seems to me that the tiger was perfectly capable of subduing Jareid. They have the same strength, they won't end up seriously injured."_

_Xilara made an unhappy face and Baal smiled at her._

"_He's going to be fine Xila. He's a boy. Boys fight with each other from time to time. You can't prevent him form interact with the world, and we can't just let him isolate himself from his peers. It's not good for him."_

_The queen sighed and nodded. She knew they had spoiled their son too much but he was a good kit. He needed friends, real friends, not only future allies and courtesans. She wished she could have had more cubs. That way Jareid wouldn't be alone._

* * *

_Bengali was somewhat nervous as Eékatl walked with him to the royal wing. The hunter hadn't been happy to be told that Jareid had asked for his son. He didn't want Bengali to get hurt, and he didn't want to have any reason to get into a conflict with his king either. He hoped that Bengali would be able to sort the prince out. Apparently none of the noble kits had been able to get along with Jareid yet. Eékatl knew that the prince was just curious. Bengali was a novelty right then, but soon he'd grow bored and leave the tiger alone. Ben just had to keep himself on line until then._

_The stripped kit was silent. He had been embarrassed to be fighting in such a way, but no one had told him that there was a prince his own age in the palace. Besides, the jaguar __**had**__ started it!_

_They arrived to an ample hall, and a servant informed them that Ben was expected alone. Eékatl didn't like that. He wanted to be close by to be able to stop any activity that could get out of control. But alas, orders were orders, and he wasn't going to disobey his prince. He crouched in front of Bengali to be face to face with him, and give him some instructions._

"_Ok Ben, remember, don't let him drag you into a fight again. He's the prince, so you have to be more patient with him, and don't get him angry."_

"_What if he hits first?"_

"_Then just try to stop him. I'd really prefer that you avoid hitting him at all, but if there's no other choice try at least to not do much damage."_

_Ben pressed his lips together. He had never interacted with nobility, and he wasn't sure he'd be able to act the way Eékatl wanted him to._

"_Why does he want to see me? I don't think he was too happy with me yesterday."_

_Eékatl sighed. He wished he knew what the prince wanted._

"_I honestly don't know. But don't worry, if he had wanted you punished, Baal would have done it already."_

_Bengali pouted. It was unfair._

"_It still was his fault."_

_Eékatl chuckled and messed his son's short mane._

"_I don't doubt it. But he's the prince, and he has the advantage."_

_He stood up and gave Bengali an encouraging pat on the shoulder._

"_Just be good. If you have troubles you know how to radio me. Your mother will be here to pick you up and go home."_

"_Ok."_

_Bengali walked towards the door the servant had pointed out and knocked. An impatient "enter" was heard and Ben sighed, opening the door, and crossing the threshold. _

_The room was big. There were shelves on the walls, full of toys and some books. A cabinet that apparently stored art materials was to the left. In front of him was a large window, and close to it a contraption that Bengali had seen in his house and knew that reproduced music. There was a musical instrument close by. To his right were some beanbags, and a screen that was connected to other equipment that Bengali was not familiar with. Jareid looked at him from his spot at one couch that was near the window. He had apparently been playing with some strange gadget that the white tiger had never seen before._

"_Hey! You're here."_

"_Um. Hi."_

_Jareid almost ran towards him and pulled his arm to take him to the empty space in the middle of the room._

"_Come! This is not as spacious as the yard, but mom insisted that I try to not get all dirty."_

_Bengali paused and looked at the other kit questioningly._

"_Wait. What exactly do you want to do?"_

"_Fight with you of course! It was great yesterday, I want another go! You won yesterday and I didn't have a chance to beat you because everyone interrupted!"_

_Bengali gaped at the prince. The young jaguar was talking as if their impromptu fight had been a game._

"_But… father said I was not to fight anymore, and that I should not hit… mph!"_

_One of Jareid's hands was over his mouth, and two blue eyes were staring angrily at him. Bengali lifted an eyebrow at the jaguar, who hissed back._

"_Do not dare tell me that someone told you to just let me hit you and not fight back. We are going to do this like yesterday! And you're not holding back! Understood?"_

_Bengali was completely baffled. Who had unleashed this kit into the world? His father had said to not fight unless it was unavoidable, but he also had said to not make the prince angry. He supposed he should go along with what the jaguar wanted to do, and he nodded. Jareid took his hand away, slightly mollified._

"_Good! I want to win this time! But don't just go and let me do it easily!"_

"_Fine, if you really want to. Just wait a sec."_

_Bengali unfastened the communicator that Eékatl had given him from his belt, and put it away on a shelf. He was turning around again, not yet sure of Jareid's demand, when the jaguar just pulled him and sent him to the floor. Bengali yelped and was barely able to avoid been crushed by the jaguar falling on him. The white tiger didn't know how everything happened, but in a few seconds both kits were rolling around the carpeted floor, entangled together._

_It was a while before both pre-teens were lying exhausted on the floor. There had been more pulling and struggling than actual hits, but they still had ended up with several bruises. Bengali was not sure of who had won, but he'd give it to the prince; the jaguar had good stamina, and was pretty strong for his age. Jareid was smiling widely and very satisfied. He turned his head around to see towards the tiger._

"_Tomorrow we can try in the garden, or with the training weapons!"_

"_I'm not good with weapons, I'd never had any training. Besides, tomorrow I have to go to school."_

_Jareid frowned. He had forgotten that Bengali wasn't a noble, and thus didn't have a tutor in the palace. _

"_Um, well you'd come after school then."_

"_I'm not sure I can. I'm supposed to help in the house."_

"_But I want to continue our fight! I'm having fun with this!"_

"_Sorry, I can't be playing all day. Maybe I could come for an hour or so? I'd have to return home when my mother does though."_

_Jareid pouted. He wanted to continue playing with his new friend. But he had duties too, and they were going to have little time if Bengali's mother picked him up early._

"_I say that you can come and do your school work here. You'd help me with mine too."_

_Ben shook his head, smiling._

"_You know? For a prince, you're very weird."_

"_Yeah? How many princes do you know?"_

_Just the one, thought Bengali, but he didn't let that small detail deter him._

"_Not many. But I'm sure you're the weird one."_

_Jareid actually chuckled at that._

* * *

"_I want Bengali to live here in the palace."_

_Jareid announced to his father at diner. Baal stared at him oddly. That was an unusual request._

"_Why is that? Has he insinuated something to you?"_

_Jareid scowled, but shook his head vehemently._

"_No. The idea is mine."_

_Baal sighed and reclined back on his chair._

"_Well, why do you want him to live here? You know he has his own family and his house. He can come and go everyday if you want him to."_

"_Yes, but he takes too long, and the time he's here is very little. If he lived here, he wouldn't have to go before sunset. We'd have more time to play, and he could help me with homework, and I could go and look for him at any time I want and not only at an specific hour."_

_Xilara smiled at her son's reasoning. Baal raised his eyebrows and continued speaking._

"_You seem to have thought this trough. But Jareid, you know that only the nobility and the councillors can live in the palace grounds. The servants also have rooms here, but they are not allowed their families to live with them."_

"_Ben's father is a hunter, and his mother one of the Shamans."_

"_Yes, but none of them have a high rank in their respective forces, and are not required to stay 24/7. You know that living close to royalty is a privilege, and there must be certain aspects to fulfil to be granted such privilege."_

_Jareid crossed his arms and scowled more._

"_Bengali is my friend, and my playmate. Surely that is like having a high-ranking position. There's no reason why he couldn't have the privilege to live close to me!"_

_Xilara covered her mouth to hide her amusement. Baal was speechless for several seconds, until Jareid changed his scowl for wide puppy eyes, and looked vehemently at his father._

"_Please dad? I have no one else to play with."_

_Baal rolled his eyes. There were plenty of kits around, at least five about Jareid's age, but of course his son had to choose the one that was not a noble to be his friend!_

"_Fine, we'd see what can be done."_

_Jareid raised his hands in triumph._

"_Yes! Thank you dad!"_

_He practically ran to his room after kissing his mother good night. Baal sighed at his mate's amused look._

"_Now you have to find a good enough reason for Eékatl's family to move in here."_

"_Oh, I plan to take Jareid to the council and let him do the explanation. Fortunately, Eékatl is a good element. He just needs a little encouragement to ask for a promotion."_

_They finished diner wondering how could it be possible for their son to be so interested in the white tiger._

* * *

_Eékatl could not believe it. At first he thought it was a joke. It had to be a joke. No one was granted accommodations in the Palace grounds just out of the blue like this. It was necessary a meeting with Head Hunter Silao, and the king himself, to convince him that no, it was not a joke. He had to move with his family to his new quarters in the palace. When he was told the reason behind granting him such privilege, he couldn't help himself. He gaped in disbelief at his king. Silao hadn't been much better, but the old cat had recovered quickly and laughed and congratulated him on his good fortune._

_His mate, Misha, was as befuddled as him. The hunter wanted to bang his head on the wall. He'd have to answer a barrage of questions at training. Of course this meant that he had to enter the competition for a promotion, and he was sure that it was practically his. Baal would need an excuse to give a hunter living quarters in the palace, and it had to be something better than the prince wanting said hunter's son close by to play with._

_Misha comforted him, telling him that they shouldn't complain about good fortune. They should make the most of it instead. He had both the experience and ability required for the promotion. He just had to show his fellow hunters that he deserved it for his own merits. Eékatl was more at ease after talking with her. He had planned to go for the promotion after all, only at a later time. A bit of help from the spirits was not a bad thing._

_So, they went to live in the palace. In the east wing. The apartments reserved for those that were not nobility, but held a place in the council, or were the king's closer advisors. It was also the closest building to the Royal apartments. Eékatl sighed. He better made an exceptional job in his tests for the promotion, and an even better role when he'd get the position. He'd have to be the best for him to be able to explain __**this**__ kind of privilege to the rest of his fellow hunters._

OoOoOoOoO

Tygra was amused when Bengali ended his tale. He could picture Jareid running about the palace with a morose white tiger following after him.

"Wow. He was spoiled."

"He still is. And he still thinks that the world revolves around him. But he's a good enough friend once you get used to his antics."

"And he never got tired of you."

"No, and I really don't know why. I complained a lot about his weirdness."

Tygra chuckled. Bengali had a gift for making him feel better. Maybe it was because they both were tigers.

"I'm surprised that he didn't ask for you to be his mate."

"I was careful to erase that notion from his head years ago. Neither one of us see the other like that."

"How do you know that Jareid doesn't want you in that way? He could be in love with you." Tygra joked. Bengali stuck out his tongue at him.

"Jareid has never been in love with anyone. He just lusts after half the city's population."

Tygra chuckled, but an uneasy feeling that he couldn't explain crept over him. As much as he loathed his mating, he had accepted Jareid as an unavoidable part of his life.

"Do you think that, maybe someday, he would really care for me? Perhaps consider me some kind of friend?" He asked quietly. Bengali frowned and lifted his chin to see him in the eyes.

"Tygra, he already cares about you."

The orange tiger snorted. The hurt that Jareid had caused him was still buried deep in his heart and mind.

"Only as he cares about a favourite doll. I'm his property, he has said so."

Bengali sighed. Jareid had never been good to express his feelings. Not with words anyway. It was outrageous really. How come the prince had no problems broadcasting his foul moods? Every one was perfectly aware of the situation when Jareid was angry. Ben hugged the younger tiger, and did his best to comfort him.

"I know it doesn't look like it, but believe me, he adores you. I've never seen him treat anyone like he treats you. And, the most important thing; he hasn't laid anyone else for an entire year! That is really telling something!"

Tygra chuckled again. He was not really convinced, but somehow he felt better. Deep down he was still waiting for Jareid to get tired of him. To set him aside and move over to someone better. He tried to hide his personal insecurities. The official ceremony was in two days. It'd be the final nail for some cats that still believed that Jareid was going to change his mind at the last minute. Tygra knew there was no chance of him doing that, but still, the gossip at his back made him nervous.

Both tigers spent what was left of the day exchanging tales about their own childhoods.

* * *

The ship arrived just after sunset. Tygra stood in the courtyard at the queen's side and watched with a sense of dread as the doors opened, and the royal guards descended from the machine. Baal and his councillors followed, and among them was Jareid.

The prince lost no time going to his mate's side and kissing him soundly. Tygra pushed him away, deeply embarrassed by the display, and his eyes scanned the people before him, looking for the red mane of his brother.

Baal greeted his queen and started towards the inside of the palace. Bengali frowned and attracted Jareid's attention.

"Where's Lion-O?"

Tygra was about to go into the ship himself, but the doors closed, and Jareid's arm was around his waist. He heard as the jaguar answered Bengali's question happily.

"He stayed in Thundera. Claudus wanted him back, and he made a deal with father. The treaty remains intact, and there'd be no further negotiations. He sent a cleric to take his place in the ceremony. He technically renounced all rights to see Tygra for another year."

Bengali's eyes widened, and he looked worriedly towards Tygra. The young tiger was pale, and was staring at Jareid in disbelief. The jaguar prince was about to ask what was wrong, when Tygra shook his head and turned around, running away. Jareid was baffled.

"What's the matter? Auch!"

Bengali hit him on the head, and glared at him.

"You're a fool Jareid! Don't be so insensitive; don't you remember that Tygra has no family here? He still has emotional issues, and his brother was like a lifeline for him! There'd be no one of his relatives in what is meant to be an important day in his life. It's like they had abandoned him! He's truly alone now!"

Jareid growled and rubbed his head.

"You don't have to hit me! And I am his new family, he's not going to be alone!"

Bengali groaned. He didn't want to engage in long explanations with Jareid.

"You don't understand. Look, he's feeling terrible right now, just go after him. I'd explain later, he needs someone to be with him right now, and you're right in one thing; you're his family from now on."

Jareid wanted to protest, but he could see that Bengali was serious, and he felt worried for his mate. So, he left his friend and went to his rooms in search for Tygra. Bengali looked him go with sadness in his eyes. He hoped that Jareid would not loose his patience, and offered some comfort to Tygra.

* * *

Tygra entered the room and looked desperately around him. He didn't know how he had managed to get to the bedroom, he felt in a daze. Jareid's words kept repeating in his head. Lion-O had stayed in Thundera in exchange of no further negotiations. That meant that Claudus was not going to try to get Tygra back. Not even try to see him. Of course, he already had his heir back, why would he need to fight for the adopted son?

Tygra's eyes fell on the top of the chest of drawers. There were several pictures on it. Bengali had taken one of him and Lion-O on his brother's birthday with something called a camera. It was the only thing of his family that he had left.

Something broke inside of him then. He was alone. He had been left behind. He felt like he had been cast away. He fell heavily to his knees and hugged himself. Tears started to run down his cheeks and he just let go all of the fear and desperation of the entire year.

He didn't listen the steps behind him. Didn't feel the hand on his shoulder. Didn't even see the jaguar in front of him. He was completely lost.

Jareid found Tygra in a heap on the floor. His smaller frame shivering as sobs could be heard. He sighed and approached his young mate. Bengali was right, he had not considered how much the news would hurt Tygra. It had not been real deal for him, but he should have remembered how close Tygra had been to his brother.

He moved Tygra's shoulder, expecting the tiger to scream and rant, like he himself did when he was truly upset. However, he was unprepared for the cry of pure desolation that escaped the teen's mouth, as soon as Jareid pushed his shoulders to look better at him. The jaguar almost panicked. He called Tygra by his name, but he got no more response than heart wrenching sobs.

He managed to pull Tygra into his arms and carry him to the bed. The young cat curled as much as he could and continued crying inconsolably. Jareid didn't know what he could do, so he opted for continue holding Tygra, until the tiger cried himself asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**WARNINGS:** This contains Slash, and abuse, as well as mpreg. It is dark and treats themes for mature audience. Do not read if you don't like it.

***Disclaimer:** I don't own Thundercats, or any character or event associated to it, and I'm not making any money from this fiction.

**CHAPTER 08. A VISIT TO THUNDERA.**

The ship landed within Thundera's sight. There was still some distance to cover, and Lion-O wondered if they were going to walk, or use the pods. He was surprised when the backside of the ship opened and the big birds were herded out. He understood then why they had taken one of the big ships for such a small delegation.

"We're riding there?" He asked Baal. The jaguar king looked happy to mount the birds.

"Of course. We're not so far, but why walk?" He answered. Lion-O looked towards the city.

"Why didn't we land closer?"

Baal smiled and got comfortable on his mount.

"Well, we don't want your father or any of Thundera's citizens to have a heart attack, do we?"

Lion-O scowled and looked at the ship. It was big enough to be seen from the city, surely the guards had already spotted it? And Baal had been sending messengers and warriors to the city the entire year. Surely his father must know that technology was real by then.

He mounted, helped by Xiao, who had gone with them as his guard, and kept himself close to Jareid's side. The jaguar prince didn't look too happy on the bird. He'd prefer to ride a pod any day. A machine was a smoother ride than a bloody bird.

Once everyone was ready, Baal gave the signal to move. Lion-O then noticed that the air around them looked strange, like there was some kind of transparent fog. They advanced, and Lion-O could feel the exact moment he went trough an energy field. He looked back in surprise, and confirmed that the ship was no longer visible. He gaped and returned to look at a smirking king.

"Now, we wouldn't want them to know everything, do we?"

Lion-O pouted. Of course that just meant that he wasn't allowed to talk about technology. And he had been hoping to tell Jaga everything about how it worked! That wasn't fair!

Well, screw it! He was going to tell anyway. His father should know what was going on. Besides, he knew that Baal had sent messages to the jaguars that had been left behind to be part of Thundera's new council. It was impossible that no one had realized what the jaguars used to get messages so fast, and how they managed to come and go between the two cities in short lapses of time. Surely his father already knew everything about technology.

The thought had also occurred to Jareid, who was complaining loudly about their mounts.

"Really dad? Why do we have to hide the ship? We could have landed right in the palace's front yard! It's big enough!"

"Like I told the cub Jareid, I don't want Claudus aware of certain things just yet."

Jareid huffed derisively and rolled his eyes.

"Please! It's been a year, and I seriously doubt Illiard and Xuan, or any of the others, have been avoiding using their gadgets. They can't live without them! Besides, you really think Lion-O is not going to say anything? He's absolutely marvelled with tech!"

"Don't worry about that. Experience has shown me that the eyes only see what the mind wants them to see. We'd be gone before Claudus realizes the truth of his sons' words."

Jareid scowled at his father like he had suddenly grown another head. It made no sense to him. How could Claudus explain the jaguar's firepower and their very evident more advanced weapons, or their instant communication with each other without technology? Magic was good, but it was not a talent your every day cat possessed. Besides, it was very different from technology, and no one was _that good_ anyway. But he shrugged and let it drop, seeing that his father wasn't going to change his mind.

They rode the fifteen minutes that separated them from the city, and were received by their own representatives and the city guard. People had congregated on the restored main avenue to watch them pass. There were several hostile faces, disquieting muttering, and other noises of displeasure, but the guard was doing its job and kept everyone at bay. Baal rode his way confidently, like the king he was, ignoring everything around him, as if the mob simply didn't exist. Jareid was a younger mirror of his father; both of them were plainly telling the Thunderians that common cats were not worth noticing. Lion-O was nervous. There were many angry looks directed at him. Xiao had told him to simply ignore it. He was the royalty, not them, and he didn't have to even look at them if he didn't want to. Lion-O felt uncomfortable, but he ended up mimicking Jareid's posture. He couldn't help but notice that after a while people stopped their stares and focused on their guard, or in gossiping with each others.

The ride was very short, and they arrived at the palace's gates unmolested. Lion-o breathed in relief once the gate closed behind them. He had never felt such hostility from so many people directed at him at once. How could Jareid not even bat an eye at it?

Their escort guided them through the entrance hall and into the Royal Throne Chamber. Lion-O smiled as he got reacquainted with the palace. Tygra was right, he had missed home.

The first thing the lion noticed upon entering the Throne Room was his father, with Jaga at his side. He smiled widely and would have run at Claudus' side if not for Xiao's hand on his shoulder, quietly restraining him.

"Decorum my prince. Do not forget your place."

Lion-O sighed. This was a diplomatic meeting, there was protocol to be followed, and he wasn't a little cub any longer. He had to show decency and be calm, and wait for the kings to exchange the forced pleasantries that neither feel, and not move or speak until he was acknowledged.

He hated protocol.

Once the initial greetings were interchanged, Lion-O could step forwards and extend his arms to his father. He had grown a bit in that year, but could still be considered small for his age. Claudus smiled at his lion cub, and he embraced Lion-O's frame for some moments before patting his shoulder and return to business. Lion-O wasn't sure where he should stand. He was technically a visitor in his own home. Fortunately, Claudus gave the indication for them to go to the dining Hall to have an early lunch.

The table service was arranged for a diplomatic meal. The kings sat at the middle of it, face to face, with Baal occupying the place of honour. Jareid sat at his father's right while the First Counsellor sat at his left. Lion-O was instructed to sit at Claudus' side, directly in front of Jareid, and with Xiao at his other side. Jaga of course sat at Claudus' right.

Lion-O sighed and endured the formal meal in resignation. His brother was so much better for that kind of thing. The tiger should be the one sitting there, listening to boring talking about government and political standings. All of it seemed senseless to Lion-O. However, the young lion put enough attention to notice that Claudus hadn't yet inquired about Tygra's health, had in fact not even mentioned his big brother at all. Lion-O started to feel annoyed by his father's omission. He thought that Tygra's well being was more important than whether or not Thundera was being administrated along Baal's requirements. He knew that Baal didn't care anyway. All this diplomatic talk was a complete farce.

The young lion looked at Jareid and just knew that the jaguar prince was thinking the same. The cat had been expecting to be questioned about his treatment of his "future" mate, but so far he had not been bothered at all on the matter, and he didn't know if that was a good or a bad thing. He thought that the lion king was taking this diplomacy shit way too seriously.

Lion-O was considering opening his mouth and bringing up the subject of Tygra's mating, but just then Baal brought everyone's attention to one particular servant. The one presently filling his glass of wine, or more appropriately, trying to, as Baal just put his glass out of the servant's reach.

"Sorry, I'm not used to let a known traitor anywhere close to what I consume, much less serve me in any way."

Lion-O looked at the servant and scowled. He was familiar. A brown lion, around thirties, that used to be part of the council, if Lion-O remembered well. The servant lion growled lowly and passed to Jareid, who growled louder and said something between clenched teeth that no one but the servant could hear. The brown lion paled, and took two steps back. Lion-O wanted to know what this was about. Baal granted him his wish, once a different cat served his wine.

"Really, that is one face I could have sworn I wouldn't be seeing ever again. Do your other servants know what he did Claudus?"

"There was a trial. He was able to explain his actions."

"Oh? And pray tell, how exactly do you explain treason?"

Lion-O's ears stood in attention. This was interesting. More interesting at least than city's administration.

"He was forced by others to act as he did. He has a family he wanted to protect. He wasn't given any way out."

Jareid snorted in derision, and Baal's smile was the one he reserved for when he felt condescending. Lion-O scowled even more.

"My, my. Such a sob history. How convenient that the other two were already dead."

"By your warriors' hands if I recall correctly."

Baal shrugged amusedly.

"They asked for it. Who in his right mind opens the back door to complete strangers? Especially when we had already blasted the front gates!"

Lion-O's eyes went wide. He knew enough about the war between the clans to call it stupid, and also knew that some cats from the Thunderian council had been the ones to start it. He understood then that the brown lion was one of the culprits. The cat was a traitor! What was he doing in the palace? Baal continued talking.

"Besides, they irritated the hell out of my warriors, insisting that the show should be real enough. I think they should be satisfied."

Jareid smirked and finished his meal. Lion-O didn't know what to think. He had never know the exact reason behind the war, other than Baal had been mad enough to get into it, but he had the gist of the situation, and the fact that one of those that had been responsible for it was still free and breathing didn't sit well within him. Perhaps he had spent too long among the jaguars after all. Claudus was serious.

"I function under the belief that every cat deserves a chance to defend themselves. He never wanted to betray his people. He tried to protect his family."

"Beautiful." Baal said in a patronizing manner. Lion-O couldn't help but feel ashamed. If it had been Ix-Maal, the brown lion would have died a horrible death, no matter his reasons. "And so, his punishment for being an idiot, who couldn't think about going to his king, is to mop floors. A bit harsh, don't you think? After all, only half the city was destroyed."

Jareid was having fun, Lion-O could see it as bright as day. He glared at his jaguar counterpart and wished he could erase the stupid smirk from his face. Claudus was getting annoyed, but admirably kept himself in check.

"He was punished accordingly. His family casted him out, and he lost all titles. He can't leave the palace. He won't survive the streets."

Baal laughed.

"So, you're protecting him from the good people of Thundera! A bit hilarious. Though I still wouldn't let him anywhere near my person. But who am I to tell you how to treat your subjects?"

It was a seemingly adequate punishment if the brown lion had been honest and had told the truth, but somehow Lion-O doubted it, and it was evident that Baal didn't believe a word. The young lion sighed. He knew his father had always been merciful, but hell! That other lion had cost them lives and resources! He had cost them Tygra! Lion-O fumed as he glared at Jareid again. His brother was never returning to his beloved home, all because of a stupid, coward lion, that couldn't go to his king for help? Even if it was truth, Claudus had been too lenient!

He wanted to scream, but he knew it wasn't the moment to show his frustration. However, he couldn't remain at the table anymore. He was too upset. He turned to his father and formally asked to be excused. Claudus widened his eyes in surprise and that made Lion-O even more upset. What? Couldn't he be bothered to know etiquette? He almost growled. His father wouldn't have batted an eye if it had been Tygra doing the exact same request!

Claudus sobered almost immediately and told Jaga to accompany Lion-O to his room. The old Cleric nodded, and with a smile invited the young lion to walk beside him. Xiao was about to stand and follow his charge, but a gesture from Baal indicated him to leave both cats alone. He scowled, but obeyed his king. The discussion turned back to less controversial matters.

* * *

Lion-O walked quietly beside Jaga, still fuming. The servants and courtesans they passed looked at him as they had ever done, disappointingly. His mood darkened considerably. They were disappointed that he was the one visiting and not Tygra. The lion clenched his fists. His brother should be the one there, that'd make everyone happy!

Well, almost everyone. Jareid would be fuming if Tygra had been the one chosen to go in the visit, but at the moment that fact counted as a bonus in Lion-O's book.

He didn't realize Jaga was talking until the old cat put a hand on his shoulder and called his attention.

"Are you listening Lion-O?"

The young teen blinked and looked up apologetically.

"I'm sorry Jaga. I just can't believe that he's letting that… that traitor go unpunished! Why isn't he even in the cells? I mean, he caused a war!"

Jaga sighed and put a knee on the floor to be at the lion's height.

"The trial showed us all the facts Lion-O. Darius was another victim, and he paid for his weakness. Claudus prides himself on being a merciful king, and that makes him a good leader for his people."

Merciful? Merciful?! A traitor didn't deserve any mercy!

"That's not mercy! That's…! I don't know what it is, but it's not mercy! He should be dead!"

He was seething. Jaga was astonished. He had never thought that the little lion would develop a taste for revenge.

"Lion-O, Thunderians doesn't kill each other. A good king avoids condemning his subjects to dead for a moment of weakness, a mistake."

"He didn't have any problem sending two cities, full of cats with families, to kill each others!"

His sight fogged with unshed tears, and he growled. He had never cried in the entire year he had been in Ix-Maal! Why was he doing it now? A few tears escaped and he whipped them angrily. Jaga sighed and hugged him with one arm.

"You're still too young Lion-O. Someday you'd understand that sometimes you have to make difficult decisions."

The young blue eyes were still teary, but looked calmer. Jaga tried to smile.

"Never let anger fog your mind and rule your actions Lion-O. You'd only do things that'd cause you great regret and sorrow later."

Lion-O pressed his lips. The image of Bali, the jaguar that had tried to murder Tygra, came to mind. He knew Jareid had been the one to execute that traitor. He didn't know the particulars, but by the amount of blood that had been on the prince's body when he had returned to collect Tygra, it hadn't been pretty. Jareid had been not only angry. He had been feral with rage. Lion-O still trembled in remembered fear when he thought about it. Jareid had never shown any remorse for killing the cat, much less any kind of sorrow for that particular action. No one did, as far as Lion-O knew.

Still, Jaga had a different mind-set, and Lion-O knew that the old Cleric believed his king had done the right thing. He nodded his understanding of the situation, and Jaga seemed satisfied. The Cleric stood up again, and continued his walk.

"Come. Someone is waiting for you in your room."

Lion-O lifted his brow intrigued, and followed his old mentor the rest of the way. As soon as he opened the door to his room, a furry creature was over him, almost making him fall.

"Snarf!"

The small critter mewled happily and licked his face. Lion-O hugged his pet, and rubbed its back. Jaga was smiling.

"He has missed you. He stayed in your room for long days."

"You silly pet. If you hadn't hid so well, you'd have come with me."

"Well, I'd be going. They surely are on their way to the council room by now. Try to rest, and to reacquaint yourself with your room."

Lion-O turned to Jaga, suddenly anxious.

"Wait! Maybe I should be present. I'm father's heir after all."

Jaga raised an eyebrow. Lion-O had never shown enthusiasm for political activities. He smiled and patted the youth's shoulder.

"Don't worry about it for now Lion-O. You're still too young, and this visit is going to take most of the day. I think Baal is interested in seeing some places himself."

Lion-O scowled. He was thirteen already! Tygra had been following Claudus on diplomatic visits since he had been twelve! And Bengali had told him that Jareid had attended council meetings at ten years old! True, the jaguar prince had slept through most of the meetings, but Baal hadn't relented, and had dragged his offspring to every single one of them until Jareid had learned to at least keep his eyes open for the entire thing. Lion-O was not too young! And he already knew where they were going anyway!

"The Thundrilium mines. He wants to see for himself if they're been exploited efficiently."

Jaga was surprised that Lion-O knew that piece of information. Maybe the year away from a sheltered home had been good for the lion.

"Yes, though I don't know why he's interested in those ancient mines. Thundrilium is not very useful."

"They use it for the ships and the weapons." Lion-O pepped up helpfully. Jaga scowled.

"Ships?"

"Yes! The big ships need energy to function, and Thundrilium makes a huge reaction when combined with…"

"Wait Lion-O. Ships? Like in the fairy tales?"

"Yes!" The lion scowled again. Was it really too difficult to understand? "Their technology is fuelled by many types of energy. Thundrilium is one of the elements that provide most of it. Household implements run on electricity."

He was getting exited, but Jaga interrupted him again.

"Lion-O, I know that some things that the jaguars do may seem marvellous, but don't let your eyes deceive you. Technology is a myth. The Shamans have strong black magic, they are known for that. You have to remember the difference between real facts and old folk tales."

The lion was baffled. Black magic? Ben sure knew how to use black magic, but that didn't transport an army through the air!

"But Jaga, it does exist! Surely you've seen them receiving messages. There's no messenger running back and forth between both cities!"

"Mirrors are very useful for long distance communication Lion-O, if you know the correct way to use them."

Mirrors? Mirrors?! That was what Jaga thought a communicator was? A fancy mirror?

"They're not mirrors! And the city is days from here Jaga! And we cover the distance in just two hours! We came in a ship! You can't see it because there's an invisible field around it, but it's just minutes away from the city!"

Now the old Cleric frowned and started to look worried.

"We have seen the jaguars disappear some distance away from the city when they head for Ix-Maal. But invisibility can be achieved in many ways Lion-O. Tygra's whip, for example, would have granted him invisibility if he had been allowed to master it." He looked intently at the young lion, and sighed. "Perhaps we should check you up. You could have been given something that's making your mind wander too much."

Lion-O blinked a few times, and then his eyes widened in comprehension.

"You think I'm being drugged? Whiskers Jaga! Can any of you just listen to me just once?! I didn't imagine it! Do you seriously think that the jaguars would use whatever type of magic for every single thing in their every day lives? It'd be exhausting!"

"When you're addict to it…" Jaga started, but Lion-O interrupted him.

"No! Please don't tell me that you've spent this year believing that the weapons they have work with magic. You've seen them Jaga! I've seen them too! You know it's not magic!"

Jaga sighed again. It was impossible. Had Baal really managed to bring a myth into reality? How could he do that? To make a dream come true. Perhaps they really had been too self-complacent.

"We'd talk about it later." He said. Lion-O was disappointed.

"But…"

"Later Lion-O. When your father is present, and they had gone. You can show both of us then what exactly the jaguars call 'technology'. I really have to join your father now."

Jaga exited the room, leaving a very unhappy lion behind. Lion-O huffed and let Snarf go from his arms. It wasn't fair. Why no one ever listened to him? If Tygra was there he'd tell them. They'd listen to his big brother!

Lion-O let himself fall on his bed with a dejected sigh. It seemed that Thundera had not really changed. He was still the childish prince that no one took seriously.

Something poked his side, just above his hip, and he groaned. He sat up and took off his belt. His eyes fell to the communicator attached to it, and he swore.

"Whiskers! How could I forget? I could have shown him!"

He sighed and started to think that it'd be the first thing he'd do later. But wait. Later? When? Baal was going to storm out of Thundera as soon as the visit was finished. When was Lion-O supposed to talk with Jaga and his father? But Jaga had said that they'd talk with Claudus present. Something was going on.

He had to listen to the meeting. It was important, and he wanted to be able to tell Tygra everything that happened. An idea occurred to him, and he turned the communicator on, pressing a combination of buttons.

"Come on Xiao. Answer me."

The small screen turned bright, and Xiao's face greeted the teen.

"Prince Lion-O, is everything in order?"

"Well, yes. In a way. But they are not allowing me into the meeting Xiao! I want to listen to it. I want to know what's going on! Can you leave the communication open? That way I could hear the negotiation."

Xiao sighed and looked around. He was not supposed to be using any technology in there, but everyone was busy finding their place in the big table, and no one was paying attention to him.

"Fine. But you have to be quiet, no one can hear you."

"Done!"

Xiao put the communicator back on his belt without turning it off, and positioned himself as close to the table as he was allowed. The miniature screen on Lion-O's communicator was not useful any longer. It didn't show anything. But the sound was all the lion wanted.

He got comfortable on his bed, and listened as Jaga finally entered the room and excused himself for being late. Moments later, everyone seemed to be in place, there was another formal greeting, and the statement of the motives for the meeting. Lion-O sighed quietly. Politics were so boring! He didn't know what Tygra saw in them that was so appealing.

Fortunately for the lion, Claudus was impatient enough to rush the proceedings. As soon as the initial protocol finished, the lion king spoke decidedly.

"Let's do this quick and to the point Baal. You already know my intentions, so what is it going to take for Lion-O to stay in Thundera?"

Lion-O's eyes went wide. He almost didn't listen to Baal's answer. The jaguar king seemed amused.

"My. I was expecting you to beat around the bush for sometime. But if you want to go to the point let's just do it. What exactly do you want Claudus?"

"I want Lion-O in Thundera, and a statement declaring that he doesn't have to return to Ix-Maal under any circumstances."

Lion-O stopped breathing. He couldn't be serious. Surely Baal would not accept. The jaguar king was not going to risk someone trying to reclaim the Sword of Omens later. Right?

There was silence in the communicator, and Lion-O remembered painfully that Baal didn't really care about the sword one way or the other. The war had been a matter of pride, not of power.

"I see. And what would you have to offer Claudus, in exchange of your son? The Sword of Omens is already mine, and frankly I'm not interested in anything else in your kingdom."

"Something relatively simple Baal. I'm willing to leave the rest of the treaty intact, permanently. I'd renounce the right to review it, and the right to further meetings in the foreseeable future. Of course, in the knowledge that every clause is going to remain intact."

Lion-O's mouth went dry. He didn't know the particulars of the treaty. There was only one clause that he had wanted to hear. The only one he had hoped his father could renegotiate. The one concerning his brother.

"Is that so Claudus? That's saying a bit much. Are you sure you wouldn't change your mind about anything else?"

He stressed the last part of the question. Lion-O could picture his amused face perfectly. The bastard.

"I know you can't use the Sword of Omens. Given time, it'd return to its rightful owner. Even if I not live to see it."

Lion-O could feel his mouth gaping in incredulity. The sword? Was that really the next pressing issue for Claudus? Baal's amused laugh indicated that the jaguar king had not entirely been surprised by the lion's words.

"Ah, yes. Your pretty sword. A good point, however that's not what I'm referring to."

Lion-O wanted to bang his head on the wall. Was his father being obtuse on purpose? It was painfully obvious that Baal wanted Tygra's position to be clear and accepted by everyone. His father's next words were like a blow for him.

"If the treaty stays as it is, in every single detail, then there's no reason to push for more negotiations."

What in the nine cursed hells was Claudus talking about? How could there be no need for further negotiations? Was he really renouncing Tygra? No, that couldn't be true! He heard Baal's amused chuckle and growled quietly.

"Very well. However, it'd be a shame to just leave the little lion behind. He had been having so much fun. Surely he'd want to visit once in a while."

"No. My son doesn't have any real need for whatever 'fun' you can provide. I want it to be clear that he has no obligation to you or your kingdom, and that no one can force him to go back under any circumstances."

"Well, if that's your wish. You realize that once we sign this accord, there'd be no need for you to put a foot in Ix-Maal either. You're technically vouching your consent for me to follow our agreement as I see fit. Therefore, you witnessing the mating ceremony that'd close this alliance will become redundant."

That was the last chance. Lion-O knew it. Tygra had been right, Baal didn't want Claudus to visit the Jaguar city. What the jaguar king had said was clearly a warning of what was going to happen should Claudus persist with his demand. There was a heavy silence. The Thunderian king may have been expecting to at least get to see his other son after all. Lion-O hoped that Baal's ultimatum made his father reconsider, but it was not to be.

"My presence at the ceremony would be politically irrelevant, I understand. However, there has to be at least a Thunderian representative to prove the alliance true for both kingdoms."

"Very true. Who'd you propose, since you'd made it clear that you don't want your youngest son to leave home again?"

"One of the clerics if you don't mind. Not Jaga of course, I'm thinking about one of the youngest ones…"

Lion-O turned the communicator off and started to pace his room. He couldn't listen any more, he was very angry as it was. How could he? He was leaving Tygra alone! His brother was already anguished enough; he needed their support! Claudus couldn't abandon him now!

Lion-O growled under his breath. Claudus didn't know what Tygra was going through. Physically, the tiger was fine. Their first month non-counting, there had been no visible signs of any kind of abuse on Jareid's part. But mentally, that was another story. Lion-O was sure that Tygra was going to break if he was left without his family. Over the last year the two siblings had gotten close enough, that Lion-O knew that Tygra's mental health had suffered the worst. He couldn't leave his brother like that. He was not going to. He didn't care about what his father's reasoning could be to do what he was doing. Whatever it was, it was wrong! Claudus didn't have enough information, and he wasn't getting the big picture. Lion-O had promised his brother that he'd be there to witness his mating ceremony, and he planned to do just that!

Making up his mind, he turned the communicator on again. He needed to keep track of the jaguar's delegation movements. He was sure that his father had told the guards to not let him wander away from his room, but that wasn't a problem. He had scurried away from the palace before without being noticed. He only needed to do a couple of things, and he still had plenty of time.

* * *

Jareid was dying of boredom. Diplomatic visits were tedious and uneventful. And he didn't like Thundera, it was too dry and exposed. Sure, they had big rich plains that provided the city with cattle and crops, but the food could never compare to what you could obtain from the jungle. The city was bigger than Ix-Maal, he'd give them that. Thundera was known for being the richest city of Third Earth. That was the reason of the constant conflict between the Thunderians and the rest of the species, especially the lizards.

Jareid had decided that the difference between the lions and the jaguars was the way they saw the world. While the Thunderians had isolated themselves and crouched behind the walls of their rich and prosperous city, the jaguars had established some relations with the rest of the planet. They had had their fair share of war and had proven to be the best. They had rediscovered not only technology, but other arts and practices too. They had allowed change into their lives, and it had made them superior. Now, they were the ones on the top, higher than the lions.

The prince looked around him, and scoffed at the big extension of land that housed the cattle. They were in their way to the Thundrilium mines, and had already seen a little of what the reconstructed city had to offer. It was flourishing once more, but it still lacked tech.

They arrived to the mines in short time. They were also unimpressive. They lacked the automation that Jareid was used to, and were primitive to his eyes. The kings and their counsellors went about the management of the Thundrilium and how much the mine was producing. Baal offered to send someone to improve the method of extraction and increase the production, but Claudus was not fond of the idea. Jareid didn't know why, he thought that a few machines would make wonders for the place. They'd make the work easier.

Jareid was still conflicted over many of the points of the treaty. They didn't need Thundera's resources; their city was pretty much self-sufficient. But he understood that it was more a power display. The treaty existed to make clear who was subservient to whom, and to establish that the alliance between both kingdoms was not on equal footing. Now that a year had passed and the jaguars had made their point, there'd be no more need of an Ix-Maal representative stationed in Thundera. The city would keep sending Thundrilium and other things, and one of the nobles would be present every two months at council meetings. But the jaguar's presence in Thundera would go back to be technically null. At least the Ix-Maalish jaguars.

He was surprised that his father was offering help to renovate the mines. He knew that that would mean introducing technology in Thundera, and he had been under the impression that Baal didn't want to help the lions in that aspect. But Claudus refused anything that would require more intervention on the jaguar's part. Jareid even eavesdropped some muttered comments among the Thunderians that were with them. They were talking nonsense about black magic and evil in what the jaguars did. The jaguar prince had been baffled. He realized that his father had been right to say that the eyes only saw what the mind wanted.

Of course, once Claudus talked with his heir he'd have to realize his mistake. Jareid was positive that Lion-O was going to make sure that his father understood just what kind of "magic" the jaguars possessed. However, by then they'd be in their home again, away from prying eyes, and Claudus wouldn't have the opportunity to use his new knowledge against them.

The thought of home, made Jareid think of Tygra. He wondered why his little tiger was still so attached to Thundera. He would have hated to grow up in that place. Besides, the fact that Claudus hadn't even asked about Tygra's well-being, made Jareid think that the lion king didn't consider his adopted son important. That, or he simply thought that Tygra must be all right and was useless to ask about him. Jareid shrugged reflexively. It didn't matter. In a couple of days the ceremony would take place, and Tygra would officially cease to be a Thunderian prince.

Jareid watched as both kings discussed trading arrangements and looked away. He was tempted to leave the group and explore the mine himself. The kings would be arguing about boring things for a long time yet. No one would notice his absence.

He had already decided to stay behind and look for an opportunity to slip away, but, surprisingly, Jaga approached him the moment he was finally apart from the main group.

"Prince Jareid. I was hopping to have a word with you."

Jareid blinked in astonishment at the sudden apparition of the High Cleric. He composed himself quickly, all his senses in alert. It won't do to be caught with his guard down by one of the clerics, specially this one.

"Sure, what is it?"

Jaga made a small bow with his head and started to talk, while still trailing behind the rest of the group.

"I understand that in just two days Tygra is going to become your mate. I just wanted to put his father's concerns to rest. Tygra is still young and has never lain with anyone up to this moment. It's understandable that he's going to be nervous. My most pressing worry is that he won't be hurt."

Jareid smirked inwardly. So, the lion king was not cat enough to confront his son-in-law directly. He had to send a servant to do what was a parent's work. Very well. It was adequate, after all. He wasn't going to see Tygra ever again, so why bother?

For a moment Jareid was very tempted to brag, and inform the High Cleric that he had cheated, and taken Tygra before time. That, even if there had not been a ceremony yet, Tygra was already his mate. He imagined that the old cleric's and the king's reactions would be priceless. He did a great effort to contain himself, because those news would cause a big, royal, mess. Certainly they'd sort it out, and Claudus would have to conform in the end, but it'd consume a ridiculous amount of time, and what Jareid wanted at the moment was to get out of Thundera as soon as possible. Besides, his father won't be happy with him. So, he put on as serious an expression as he was capable of, and answered proudly.

"There's no reason to worry. Tygra is going to be well taken care of."

Jaga nodded.

"Please, have his age in mind. He'd need time to cope."

Jezz! Did the clerics and the shamans share a mind? Jareid couldn't help his smirk this time.

"I'm sure he'd eventually manage. He's not a delicate flower."

"Of course not. But he is still a boy."

'_My boy'_ Jareid thought possessively. He nodded, and that seemed to appease the High Cleric. The tour ended shortly after.

* * *

As soon as the delegation returned to the palace, Baal gave the order to prepare the mounts and load the supplies they were taking back to the jungle. He wanted to go before sunset, so he told every jaguar to hurry up.

Jaga introduced the cleric that was going to act as the Thunderian witness in the ceremony. It was a young puma that had taken his initiation recently. Baal apparently didn't mind who got to go in Claudus place, but he made a sign to his Shaman to take care of the Cleric. It was important that the foreign cat didn't have the opportunity to precise Ix-Maal location. The Shaman took charge of the cleric, and guided him to the rest of the caravan. Baal promised that the puma would return in two months with their council representative for the scheduled meeting.

The mounting birds were soon ready to go, and both kings gave their farewells. None of them wished to see the other ever again, but both knew that in a year they'd have to. For the last time.

The front gates opened and the jaguars' delegation parted with a few more members than they had arrived with. No one noticed the small, cloaked figure that jumped from the shadows and nested among the bags and packages that one of the birds was carrying.

* * *

Claudus waited until the jaguars were disappearing a fair distance from the city's walls to relax. He didn't want to admit that Baal's presence put him so nervous. The cat still had something precious to him in his power, and Claudus had not wanted to show just how much it pained him to not be able to see Tygra. He had understood that it had been part of the price to have his lion back. The jaguar king had known that Claudus would try to have his youngest son back first, and had been playing with him. Claudus hadn't wanted to give Baal more power over him than the jaguar already had. Hadn't wanted to give any reason for them to use Tygra against him in any way.

Claudus knew that his son would understand. The cleric they had sent had been instructed on what to say to the prince. Tygra just had to endure one more year, and then Baal would have to follow the letter of the treaty. The jaguar king was too proud to not to honour his own word, and the treaty was binding on both parts. Just one more year, and Tygra would be back home too.

Jaga sighed at Claudus' side, contemplating the disappearing mounts.

"You know, Lion-O insists that there's an invisible ship. That the jaguars have in fact achieved technology to the point of using it in their everyday lives."

Claudus frowned. He had tried to keep contact with the invading jaguars at a minimum for the entire year. He could not wait to see them all gone for good.

"That's preposterous. Technology is a myth."

He repeated the phrase he had been telling himself since the first time he had reflected on that first and last battle, and had tried to analyze the strange weapons the jaguars had used. He had been trying to explain them in any other way than the obvious. Jaga was pensive.

"Perhaps. Maybe that's the reason behind the jaguars' power. Their capacity to create something impossible."

Claudus growled. He didn't want to acknowledge the truth that had been shoved to the deep recesses of his mind long ago.

"Baal was dangerous enough as it was! How was he able to obtain such a power!"

'_Why it wasn't us?'_ His mind provided.

Claudus made an effort to rein in his increasing anger and frustration. It had been a mistake. This whole ordeal had been the result of just a little mistake on his part. They had learned the hard way that Baal was the type of cat to hit first and ask later. Not one to look for a peaceful solution once he was angered. Claudus had spent the entire year fearing for his sons' safety. He still was worried about Tygra. He didn't want to imagine what his son had to endure in a kingdom obviously led by a heartless king. But Tygra was stronger than Lion-O. Without the burden of his little brother to worry about, Claudus was sure that Tygra would have an easier time taking care of himself. Jaga's words took him back to the present moment.

"If he indeed has it, little it matter how he obtained it. I want to be sure first of what exactly is Lion-O talking about. We need all the facts to consider what to do. If we decide to do something at all with this new information."

Claudus huffed. Not likely, since Tygra still was a war prisoner. Perhaps it had been a mistake to deny Baal's offer of help with the mines. If they really had mastered technology, it would have been a great opportunity to assess just how far they have gone. But alas, the truth was that he didn't want Baal to have anything to do with Thundera any more. He only wanted his two cubs back home.

"We'll see. Like you said, we shall take everything in consideration."

Jaga took in his king's worried face and nodded.

"You're worrying about Tygra."

"I know he's strong. But what he has to do is not a fight with an opponent. I wish we could have found a way to make this 'alliance' unnecessary."

"He'd be fine. He'd see it as a duty, and that'd make things easier for him."

"I just despise the idea of him to have to be touched in such a way. His first time Jaga! It should have been with a loved partner, preferably a female partner. Now he's forced to give that away to fulfil a duty. And to a male that's ten years his senior! Who knows what he'd want to do to Tygra? I wish there was a way to make sure that he's not going to hurt my son!"

"Calm down. I know the situation is far from ideal. But perhaps the age difference would work as an advantage. I seriously doubt that prince Jareid would be satisfied with a young, inexperienced partner like Tygra. He seems the type that can have many suitors to choose from. He'd do his duty one night, and then leave Tygra alone. In a normal situation he'd never look Tygra's way twice."

"I hope you're right. I sincerely hope that my son wouldn't have to endure the jaguar prince's touch more than once. This year could not be over fast enough."

A sound at their back distracted both cats from their argument. A young cleric apprentice was waiting a few steps behind them.

"You called for me, master Jaga."

"Yes Cheetara. Come, it's time for you to meet your charge."

"Is this the guard you have chosen for Lion-O?"

"Yes. Do not let her youth to deceive you. She's the most advanced of the apprentices. In fact, only her age is preventing her from doing the initiation already."

Claudus nodded his consent. The trio walked towards the prince's rooms. Lion-O should be anxious. The king wanted to have a long talk with his son, and give him the greeting he could not earlier.

They entered the room. There was light coming through the window, as the sun was low in the sky but still not setting. Claudus looked everywhere, but his son was not on sight. Furrowing his eyebrows, he called for him without answer. Cheetara found a folded paper on the prince's bed, and presented it to the king.

Claudus was starting to worry. The contents of the paper did nothing to set his fears down.

'_A good parent is always there when his children need him. Tygra needed you!'_

"Find him. Search the entire palace, find him!"

The royal guard was on alert in seconds. The palace was a blur of activity as everyone looked for the missing prince. No one was able to find him.

* * *

Lion-O held a tight grip on the bird he was hiding on top of. The bags the animal was carrying were voluminous and hide his crouched form well. He only hoped that no one checked his room and discovered his absence before the ship took off. A distressed mew from under his cloak made him tighten his hold.

"Shh, Snarf. Be quiet! No one can know we're here."

He held his breath until he was certain that they were boarding the ship. Even then, he didn't get out from his hiding place among the packages until he felt the movement of the ship getting off. He got down from the bird, which was already sitting and waiting for someone to free it from its burden.

The cargo area was big. Lion-O looked for the compartments that were meant as storage space. He found one just in time, as some of the warriors entered the cargo to relieve the birds of the packages. The lion hid and waited as the jaguars store the supplies away. His hiding place was soon occupied, but fortunately no one noticed him. If he was found, Baal could order to turn back, and Lion-O was not willing to be left behind in Thundera. He was going to be at his brother's side, even if he had to oppose his own father.

The warriors finished, and the door of the compartment was closed. Lion-O moved over the packages to push it. It was sealed, and there was no way to open it from the inside. He was stuck.

"Well, we'd have to wait 'till they get all of this out."

He got comfortable with Snarf, and covered them both with the cloak. He was asleep half way towards their destination.


	9. Chapter 9

**WARNINGS:** This contains Slash, and abuse, as well as mpreg. It is dark and treats themes for mature audience. Do not read if you don't like it.

***Disclaimer:** I don't own Thundercats, or any character or event associated to it, and I'm not making any money from this fiction.

**CHAPTER 09. CEREMONY.**

Jareid lied in bed with Tygra's unmoving form in his arms. He had the unwelcome feeling that he was holding an unresponsive doll. He knew that Tygra was awake, but had not made any attempt to change his position. There was no more sobbing, and no more tears. The jaguar prince was confused. What could have triggered Tygra's outburst? Was his brother really that important to him?

Jareid felt jealousy rise in him all of a sudden. Tygra was his! He should not have such strong feelings for anyone else! He was his family now!

He grabbed the back of Tygra's head and forced the teen to look at him. He wanted to make it clear that Tygra didn't need anyone else but him. However, the brown eyes that stared back at him with no emotion at all stopped him on his tracks. They were dull, and dead. Jareid had the impression that those eyes were staring right through him and not seeing anything. He didn't like them. He wanted Tygra to react, and so he said the first thing that came to mind.

"So much grief over a troublesome kit. You don't need him. I should be good enough for you!"

A mirthless phantom of a smile, and then Tygra spoke, his voice monotonous and as dead as his eyes.

"Funny you say that. When it's I the one not good enough. Never good enough."

Jareid scowled at Tygra.

"What does that mean?"

The tiger shrugged and continued staring at him. He made no move to try to free himself from the painful grasp that Jareid had on his mane.

"It doesn't really matter. It's just a matter of time before you too decide that you want something better. Someone better."

"What are you talking about? How many times have I told you that you're mine Tygra? You belong to me! You're my gift."

"So you say. So they said too."

Jareid blinked in confusion. His free hand grabbed the tiger's jaw a bit roughly.

"Who?"

"They. My parents. Mother used to tell me that I was their gift. Her little prince."

Jareid softened his grip on Tygra. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know how to deal with Tygra's strange mood.

"Your birth mother?"

Tygra shook his head in denial. He gave a soft sigh, but his voice continued in its dead tone.

"Never met her. I don't remember anything before Thundera. They said that I fell from the sky in a floating basket. The king and queen had wished so long for a cub, so they took me. Mother said that I was a gods' send. Something precious."

Jareid looked as Tygra's eyes filled slowly with sadness. He wanted to growl. He didn't consider that as an improvement. Tygra continued after a short pause and a soft sigh.

"But I wasn't what she needed. They didn't want a tiger. She tried again to get pregnant. To give Claudus the heir he wanted. I couldn't be the future king. Mother wanted a lion cub, even if it killed her… and it did… She died because I was not a lion."

Tygra's eyes focused and Jareid knew that he'd never forget the hurt reflected in them.

"So, you see? In the end, not even a gods' gift was good enough."

Jareid growled and held Tygra close. He didn't know what to do. How could he ever hope to comfort Tygra? The root of the problem was deep within the tiger's past. Jareid understood that Tygra felt abandoned. Not wanted.

"I'll never leave you." He said because he honestly couldn't think of anything else. Tygra answered softly.

"You say that now."

A deep growl escaped Jareid's throat. He was going to hurt someone. He didn't know who, but someone surely was to blame for his mate's sadness.

The ring of a bell distracted him. It was the alarm that told him that someone was at the door of his set of rooms, asking for entrance. He left Tygra on the bed and hurried to answer. He hoped it was Bengali, because he needed help.

Thankfully he was still dressed. He had never gotten to rid himself, or Tygra, off their clothes last night. So, he was able to go open the door without delay.

Bengali was at the other side, a cheerful expression on his face, and a teen lion beside him. Jareid stopped and blinked at them.

"Look who was hiding in the storage compartments! I brought him here because Tygra was so upset yesterday, I thought he'd like to see his brother."

Jareid stared stupidly at the young lion, barely noticing the snarf on the teen's arms, or the dark cloak over his shoulder. He stood there gaping for the few moments it took for his brain to catch up on the fact that Tygra's brother was really in front of him. Then he grabbed the teen's shoulder and dragged him through the sitting room. He hastily opened the door to the study and unceremoniously shoved Lion-O inside, ordering him to go talk to his brother. He closed the door immediately and turned around to confront the confused white tiger.

Lion-O almost fell on his face when Jareid pushed him into the study. He glared indignantly at the closed door and cursed under his breath, damning selfish, egotistical, princes to hell and back. Then he looked around him in confusion. Why was he in Jareid's study?

Soon however, he spotted the arch that opened to the last of the rooms, and Lion-O let Snarf jump to the floor and guide the way.

* * *

Tygra didn't move from his position. What was the point? Jareid's only interest in him was in bed, so he should stay there. He wanted to scratch his arms badly, and he started to bit his inner lip strong enough to draw blood. He focused on the pain and closed his eyes while he bit again, and again. He welcomed the pain. Anything that distracted him from the deep, overwhelming ache in his heart was welcomed. His claws started to scratch his left upper arm vigorously. He wanted to stop thinking. He wanted to forget.

Something landed on the bed. Tygra could feel the light disturbance on the mattress. However, he didn't react until he sensed a presence in front of his face, and a wet tongue licked his nose. Tygra's eyes widened in alarm. For some seconds he couldn't do anything but stare at the furry face before him.

"Snarf?"

"Wow. This place is huge!"

Tygra bolted upright and gaped at his brother, who was looking around the room in awe.

"I don't think that even father's bedroom is this big! You could fit a small army on the bed!"

Snarf mewled in agreement. Tygra was absolutely stunned. Lion-O looked out the window, still in awe of the room.

"The view is astounding! You can see the entire yard, and the east garden. And the jungle!"

Tygra closed his mouth and gave a deep breath. After a few more seconds he felt like he could talk.

"Lion-O. What are you doing here?" He inquired softly. The young lion climbed on the bed.

"Come on Tygra! You seriously didn't think that I'd leave you here, with all the cool things to do to yourself, did you? You know I love this place!"

Tygra crossed his legs to be more comfortable, and considered his brother.

"Does father know that you're here?"

Lion-O shrugged while he petted Snarf. The pet had found a cosy spot to curl into.

"I left a note." He said nonchalantly.

"You…? Lion-O!"

Before his brother could lecture him, the young lion launched himself towards Tygra, and put his arms around the surprised tiger's neck, hugging him tight for all he was worth. After only a few seconds, Tygra was returning the hug, just as tightly.

No one talked for long minutes. Tygra was doing a supreme effort to drown the sobs that stubbornly wanted to get out. When had his little brother become so important for his sanity? Surely it was not normal to feel so lost, just because he had thought that his sibling had gone away. He barely heard Lion-O speaking.

"You're my brother. I need you. I could never leave you alone. I promised."

Tygra clenched his eyes shut to deny the tears that were threatening to fall. He breathed deeply twice, and rubbed his cheek against his brother's mane.

"Lion-O… Thank you."

* * *

Baal couldn't help it when the servants informed him of the little lion they had found in the cargo. He laughed.

To tell the truth, he had been counting on Lion-O not being happy with Claudus' decision. He had expected the rascal to get in touch with Xiao or Bengali, and to press his father to let him return to his brother's side. Baal had been prepared to send someone to pick up the brat. He had been sure that Lion-O would eventually manage to convince Claudus to let him go. It seemed that the lion cub had surpassed his expectations and had saved them the need for another travel. Claudus must be seething.

Jareid was annoyed as hell, and for a moment Baal feared that his son would do something stupid. Thankfully, Tygra's improved mood seemed to mollify his stubborn – and jealous – mate. Jareid ended up grudgingly approving of Lion-O's actions. After all, who'd want to be stuck in such a boring place like Thundera? It was evident that Jareid thought very little of the city, and Baal knew that his son would consider any place that lacked tech boring.

Thundera's cleric had been fuming. He demanded that Lion-O was returned home without delay. He pointed out that there was a signed pact that prevented the prince from ever returning to Ix-Maal. The High Shaman had to inform the cleric, with great pleasure, that while the pact stated that no one could force Lion-O to visit Ix-Maal, it didn't say anything that stopped the lion prince from going to the jaguars' city by his own volition.

Since Lion-O had travelled to the jungle without anyone noticing, Baal didn't have the obligation to return him. After all, if Claudus couldn't keep track of his own offspring it was not Baal's fault. Furthermore, his engineers talked wonders about the little lion's abilities. It was clear that the teen had a talent that could not be appreciated in his own home. Why let it go to waste?

Besides, they couldn't have Tygra in a depressive crisis _this_ close to the ceremony. Bengali had reported Tygra's reaction to his brother's apparent absence and Baal hadn't liked it one bit. The tiger prince evidently had too many issues concerning family that had not been allowed to express themselves, therefore have not healed. Baal knew that Jareid was hardly the most ideal person to put whatever were Tygra's fears to rest, but he'd have to do. And he better do it quickly, because after the ceremony there still was another little bomb that they'd have to drop on Tygra.

For the moment it was enough that the young tiger was in as good a disposition as he could be for the mating ceremony. They'd sort other problems when they presented themselves.

* * *

Tygra stared at his mirror reflexion, trying to make sense of the fact that his ceremony was taking place in only a few more minutes. He was in a changing room, specially prepared for that day. Bengali had helped him to get ready, though it really wasn't much to be done. The attire he was wearing was very simple, but elegant in its own right. Formal white trousers, and feet wear that was comfortable enough. A white, loose robe, sleeveless, and knee length, with a golden pattern of glyphs all along the edge. No buttons, so his chest was fairly on the open. The fabric was soft and really light, and Tygra had the fleeting sensation that he was wearing nothing at all. His neck was exposed, and Jareid's mark was all too evident to whoever wanted to look for it.

He absently thought that white was not really his colour.

He sighed in resignation. He was nervous, and he really shouldn't be. He was just fulfilling a requirement for the alliance between Thundera and Ix-Maal to be official. What was to be nervous about? It was just a ceremony! It wasn't as if he had not been sleeping in Jareid's bed for months!

He growled in frustration. He couldn't help it, he was bloody nervous!

He started nibbling his lower lip absently, wishing that the shamans hurried up so they could start already.

"You really should find another way to show your anxiety. You're gonna give Ben a coronary."

Tygra turned his head towards the voice. Jareid was approaching him in very much the same attire as him. The tiger blushed. He still was embarrassed about his actions the previous day. He had conducted himself like a little kit! He clenched his fists and pressed his lips in a thin line.

"… Sorry… Should you be here?"

"I don't really care. We are already mated."

Tygra huffed and turned back to see his reflexion.

"Besides, you still need something."

He produced a jade pendant and hung it around Tygra's neck. The tiger analyzed it curiously in the mirror. It fell right at the middle of his chest. In it was engraved a moon and a dagger. The clan's symbol. There were runes marking the periphery of the circle. Tygra couldn't distinguish them very well. Jareid leaned over him from behind and kissed his neck. His hands roamed over Tygra's arms and stopped to lightly trace the claw marks that the tiger had inflicted on himself during his break down.

Tygra blushed again. The marks were barely visible, but Bengali had noticed them, and had thrown a fit about them. Jareid straightened and looked at their joined reflexion.

"You look precious."

Tygra gulped. There were a myriad of feelings in his hearth at the time. Strangely, the one he acknowledged was relief that he had grown quite a bit on the last year. The top of his head now reached Jareid's lips. The difference between their heights and body built was still glaringly noticeable, but at least he no longer looked like a bloody child at Jareid's side. They could do the part of a young, "happy" couple quite well.

Jareid pressed his chest against Tygra's back. His hands took advantage of the design of the open robe and one of them roamed over the youth's belly, while another playfully pinched a tender nipple. Tygra groaned, but made no effort to stop Jareid. He had had an entire year to get used to the jaguar's hands touching every part of his body. He knew he couldn't deny Jareid anything. His pride had capitulated a long time ago. The older prince had conditioned him too well. However, when a hand tried to insert itself under his trousers, both of his hands latched on to Jareid's arm in a panic.

"No! Please Jareid, not now."

The jaguar nibbled Tygra's ear, causing him shivers.

"Why? We still have plenty of time."

Tygra groaned. He didn't understand Jareid's apparent need to be all over him the moment he was within arms reach.

"Do you ever think of something that doesn't imply sex?"

Jareid smirked, and continued toying with his mate's nipples.

"Now, what would be the fun in that?"

"Jareid, please…"

"Jareid!"

The couple turned to the door where a flustered Bengali in full ceremonial regalia, was glaring disapprovingly at the prince. Tygra sighed in relief.

"What do you think you're doing? Leave Tygra alone!"

Jareid rolled his eyes, but complied with Ben's wishes and unhandled the orange tiger.

"Come on Ben! It's hardly inappropriate to touch my own mate!"

"It is if you're doing it when you should be already down for the ceremony! Get out of here! Honestly!"

Jareid gave a last kiss to Tygra's head and marched out of the room with a big smirk on his face.

Bengali huffed and hurried to Tygra's side to make sure that his attire had not been ruined.

"Really! I can't believe that cat! I should put a collar on him!"

Tygra chuckled. It was funny that Bengali held such power over Jareid. He knew that the jaguar only obeyed the shaman when it fit him, but it was still evident to him that Jareid preferred to keep peace with his stripped friend. It was a testament of how much the prince really appreciated that particular friendship.

Ben was satisfied that Jareid hadn't done much damage, and eyed the pendant on Tygra's neck.

"Ah, he had it. I was looking for that. Here, you should wear this too."

He took out a simple tiara. Tygra gasped in surprise. It was his tiara. The one he wore in Thundera for official events. His eyes looked to Ben's questioningly.

"The cleric brought it. He wanted to give it to you himself, but Baal has decided to be paranoid and ordered to not leave him alone with you. At least until the ceremony has ended. But if you want to speak with him I can stay here with you. I think he wanted to tell you something."

Tygra pressed his lips and thought about it. The cleric surely had a message from Claudus. Tygra's right hand automatically went to his left arm and his fingers brushed over the scars he had inflicted. He felt Bengali tense, ready to stop him if needed. Tygra sighed, suddenly grateful that Claudus was not there after all. He knew that the king would be able to see that he was not the same tiger that had once lived in Thundera. He didn't want his father to know how much he had changed. The lion would be disappointed, and Tygra didn't want to deal with that on top of everything else. He didn't worry too much about the cleric. It was improbable that the cat noticed anything wrong with him. He took the tiara from Bengali's hands and shook his head.

"No. Not now at least. Maybe later. That is, if Jareid would leave me alone long enough."

He gingerly put the thin golden circlet on top of his head and sighed at his reflexion. Ben smiled encouragingly at him.

"You look really handsome."

The white tiger chuckled at the embarrassed groan of the young one, and patted his shoulder blades.

"Come on, let's get this over with."

Tygra nodded and went without protest.

* * *

The ceremony was being held inside the Sanctuary. A pyramid like structure, big enough to house about a hundred people. Only the High council and close family were allowed to witness the ceremony. Thundera's Cleric was permitted to attend due to be Claudus' representation.

There was to be a celebration after the ceremony was over, and that was open to whoever wanted to be there. One of the gardens had been already prepared. Most of the city was going to be in attendance. It was a rare occasion that the palace's gardens were open to the public.

Tygra stood in front of a small altar in the middle of the Sanctuary. He eyed the items laid down there a bit suspiciously. He had memorized the ritual that was going to take place and knew what was expected of him. It was an alliance bonding ritual. One of the most simple, but powerful in its own right. Anything that used blood to seal a pact was. Anxiousness ran through Tygra's spine again and he looked around to cover his nerves.

The Sanctuary didn't look so big from the inside. The white walls were covered in wines that at the time were entirely full of blooming flowers, white and purple. They ran along the space given to them forming arches and triskels. There was a ritual circle on the floor made of salt and earth, with runes surrounding the centre where the altar stood. Floating above the periphery were bouquets of blood red flowers with a single white one in every one. The place was inundated in light. The top of the pyramid was constructed with a translucent stone that looked like crystal, allowing the sun to illuminate and warm the inside of the Sanctuary. Tygra thought that everything looked very pretty. Now if only he would stop feeling anxious.

Jareid was at his side, looking amusedly at him. Bastard.

Tygra was somewhat relieved that there were relatively few cats inside the Sanctuary with them. Besides the high council and their respective families, only five shamans were present. Four of them were taking their places outside the ritual circle and the High Shaman would be guiding the little ceremony. Tygra shuddered, thinking about the amount of people he had seen on their way to the Sanctuary. It was not far from the palace, but they had had to cross a long street full of curious citizens to get there. He berated himself mentally. He had never been shy. What the hell was wrong with him?

The High Shaman stood up to the altar signalling that everything was ready to begin. Tygra sighed deeply and turned slightly to face Jareid. The jaguar's hands took his and Tygra made an effort to keep his eyes open and not bit his lips. Jareid was dressed in the same clothes he was. The only difference between their attires was the tiaras. Tygra's circlet was made of gold and had a single small ruby at the forefront. Jareid's was made of jade, like the pendant, with white and purple quartz forming a rune at the front. The High Shaman began the rite, and the candles on the altar lighted. The smell of copal filled the air as the Shaman called on the Spirits to bear witness to the bonding taking place. Tygra inhaled the strong aroma and surprisingly felt more relaxed. He barely took notice of the other four shamans chanting quietly in the background or the tenuous luminescence that the circle on the floor took. He was only focused on Jareid's words.

"I, Jareid of the jaguar clan, crown prince of Ix-Maal, am here to seal the alliance between our people, by taking you, Tygra, as my life partner. May this bonding honour the pact our clans have agreed upon."

Tygra gulped and said his part, almost the same as Jareid's, only changing a few words.

"I, Tygra of the lion's clan by adoption, prince of Thundera, am here to seal the alliance between our people by accepting you, Jareid, as my life partner. May this bonding honour the pact our clans have agreed upon."

They both were handed a ritual obsidian dagger, and Tygra almost flinched. This part of the ritual had not been to Bengali's liking due to Tygra's emotional issues, but it was necessary to seal their bonding. Both princes held the sharp edge of the daggers at their right palms and sliced at the same time. Then they joined their injured hands and pressed. The mixed blood fell onto a quartz calyx that the high shaman held under their hands. It had been previously filled with a ritual beverage. The transparent liquid turned crimson and both cats recited together the last part of their dialog.

"We join our lives, to make new blood together."

There was something about this particular ritual at the back of Tygra's mind that was starting to try to get the tiger's attention. Some information that he had deemed unnecessary. Alas, this was not the time to be wondering about it. Jareid had taken the calyx and drank half of its contents, and was now presenting it to Tygra. The tiger took it and drank what was left, making a face at the strong taste of alcohol and blood. The drink burned his throat, and he had to do a supreme effort to swallow all of it 'till the last drop. He felt a bit dizzy when the Shaman took the calyx away from him and handed him a cloth to bandage his still bleeding hand. Damn! He should have asked what exactly he was going to drink. The ritual liquid of the clerics was made of seeds, but this was far stronger. Tygra breathed and put his hands on Jareid's again, thankful to have something to ground himself. The shaman was reciting the last part of the ritual.

"May this bonding bring peace and prosperity to our clans, and the spirits' blessings guide you in your future together."

Tygra was barely aware of the bouquets of flowers exploding and showering them with red and a few white petals. The shamans were chanting the last words to close the ritual and Jareid kissed him. Tygra was afraid to move too much, he was still feeling disoriented.

"Are you all right? You look a bit off."

Tygra gulped and leaned on Jareid's side to walk out of the Sanctuary.

"I'm fine, just…"

The first steps were awkward and he had to grab Jareid's arm. He scowled at the chuckle that he could hear form the jaguar.

"It's not funny! And what the hell was in that drink anyway?"

"Oh, not used to strong liquors my tiger? Sorry, I thought that Bengali had told you."

"I didn't think to ask."

"Well, it's really just a spirit from lychee. A bit strong, but you should be fine in no time."

Tygra growled, but he didn't have the opportunity to complaint more. They stopped at the Sanctuary's entrance and his eyes grew wide when he looked at the amount of people present. It seemed like the entire city was waiting for them In the Sanctuary's front yard.

"People of Ix-Maal. Here you have your future royal couple!"

There was a general ovation and Tygra felt a bit overwhelmed. He knew that Ix-Maal was smaller than Thundera, but at the moment he could have sworn that it had twice the population. Jareid smiled widely and greeted the masses. Tygra did his best to follow his example. After a few moments he had sobered up entirely and had fell into the comfortable role of prince. He had survived the ceremony. He could survive the party just as well.

* * *

The palace gardens were big, but Tygra was still astounded that so many people had fit in there. And it didn't look so crowded that you couldn't move around. Everyone had wanted to be present for the toast. Tygra looked around as everybody mingled and admired the gardens.

Some servants were distributing snacks and drinks and some couples were dancing. He and Jareid had already danced the first piece, as was tradition, and then they had took their seats at their table. There was going to be a feast later, and Tygra was honestly waiting for it. Now that he was considerably calmer, he was starting to get hungry.

He glanced at his side, where a noble female was blatantly flirting with Jareid. The jaguar looked very amused by her efforts, and Tygra rolled his eyes in contempt. He knew that Jareid would eventually want a consort. Who was going to provide him an heir? And the females of the court were preying on the one thing they knew they could give to the crown prince. Still, did they have to be so shameless?

He wanted to stand up and go in search of Lion-O, who surely was up to some mischief somewhere, but Jareid's hand grabbing his was preventing him from doing so. The jaguar had not released his hand since they had left the Sanctuary, and his grip tightened every time Tygra moved to get away. It was very annoying.

The girl in front of them practically lay down on the table to try and kiss Jareid, and Tygra growled. He finally managed to free his hand, only to have Jareid's arm around his waist pulling him against his mate's side. He had to grab Jareid's thigh to prevent himself from falling off the chair. Jareid kissed his mouth soundly and Tygra could hear the scoff of scorn that the girl gave. He pushed Jareid away and glared at him. The jaguar prince chuckled.

"Don't be so upset my tiger. You know I prefer to have you in my arms than any of them."

"I'm not upset!" Tygra said, but he felt satisfied that the woman had gone away. "If they want to throw themselves at your feet, they could at least show some decency and do it in private."

Jareid smirked, amused.

"Tygra, you know decency is not a trait many of the court exhibit."

"Well, they should!"

Jareid kissed him again, and both of them returned to look at the party and made small talk with whatever cat that approached them.

After some time, Tygra finally managed to get away from Jareid to have a walk around with his Hunter friends. The jaguar had not been happy to let him go, but Bengali had distracted him while Tygra had made his escape. He just needed a bit of space, he felt crowded enough as it was.

He spent some moments chatting with his teammates, and then he walked around the garden, looking for Lion-O. He spotted him near a fountain with other kits around his age, and walked towards them, just to make sure that his brother was not causing troubles. He was intercepted however, by the Thunderian cleric, who had not had the opportunity to talk with him until then.

"My prince, a word if you please."

"Of course. Yabin is it?"

"Yes. It's been quite difficult to get to you."

Tygra shrugged noncommittally.

"Well, it's been pretty busy."

"I understand."

Yabin looked significantly towards the main table, where Jareid was apparently discussing something with his father. Tygra shrugged again and felt little hands grabbing his right arm. He glanced downwards to realize that Yeana had attached herself to him. He let her be, and focused his attention on the cleric. The puma scanned their immediate surroundings quickly and nodded. He guided Tygra to a spot where a trellis hid them from direct view of the main table and they were more or less isolated. He didn't notice the little girl on Tygra's arm.

"My prince, I know this situation is hard on you, but your father is confident that you're going to perform your duty to the best of your abilities. He knows that he has placed a heavy burden on you, but he also knows that it won't break you. You only have to remember that it's your people you saved. When you're in prince Jareid's bed tonight you'd just have to focus on doing your part, have in mind that it's only your duty, nothing more."

Tygra was blushing fiercely. He nodded at the cleric, but prayed that the cat would just wish him luck and be done with it. Fortunately he didn't think that Yeana understood what they were talking about, or he might just die of embarrassment. The cleric continued.

"The prince is honour bound to treat you respectfully. He has the obligation to be sure that you're as comfortable as possible giving the circumstances. If you feel anything amiss, or if he hurts you, you are to stop him immediately."

Tygra wanted to scoff in derision. He only stopped himself because he didn't want the cleric to know that it was already too late for any piece of advice he'd want to give. And how exactly was he supposed to stop Jareid anyway? There was no stopping the jaguar once he had set his mind! And there was no fighting him either! Tygra had already tried and had gotten himself raped for his efforts. He shuddered at the memory and tried to cover it by nodding.

"I understand. You don't have to worry."

The cleric returned the nod, satisfied.

"You also must remember that your obligation with the prince is only for tonight to seal the pact, but after this you don't have to share his bed anymore. You can put as much distance between you as possible. If he wants to satisfy his needs, he can do it elsewhere. You don't have to stop him. You can even encourage him to find a consort, that way he wouldn't have an excuse to touch you again. Given what I'd heard about him, he won't need much encouragement. He'd leave you alone."

Tygra scoffed this time. As if. Jareid was obsessed with him, and Tygra had already resigned himself to the fact that he couldn't do anything to make the jaguar leave him alone. The cleric then put a hand on the tiger's shoulder.

"I know that live away from home is hard, much more in your situation my prince. But you're strong enough to take care of yourself. Besides, with your brother in Thundera again, you won't have to worry about him."

Tygra scowled.

"Lion-O is here. I thought…"

"He's here because he has never been good at following orders. He's supposed to stay in Thundera, where he belongs. I'm taking him back with me, so don't worry, he's not going be bothering you any more."

Tygra almost growled. He didn't like the undertone of despise that he noticed in the cleric's voice when talking about Lion-O. He felt Yeana pressing herself at his back and he resisted the urge to punch the puma.

"My brother is not causing me any trouble. Quite the contrary, in fact, he has been a great help. And I really doubt that Baal would waste time sending him to Thundera, when he obviously would only find a way to turn back."

"He has the duty to be in his own city, you know that my prince. Your brother has obligations there, and he shouldn't be allowed to ignore them! He has been allowed laziness for far too long! I know that you'd prefer him within range, so you can make sure he's not causing problems with his… recklessness. He has been like your charge since he was born. But leave the burden to your father my prince. He's going to take care of it."

Tygra clenched his teeth. A bit late, after thirteen years of just ignoring Lion-O's needs. He didn't want his brother taken away from him, and the reason was very different from the one the cleric had expressed. He was about to make that clear to the puma, but the cleric had not finished yet.

"Besides, you only have to endure one more year in this hellish place, and then you'd return home too."

Tygra felt like a bucket of ice cold water had been poured on him. He stared at the cleric in complete shock.

"What? B-but, the treaty…"

"It's the reason why your father realized that there was no need to worry. If the treaty remains as it is, you'd have no more reason to stay here in a years' time. You'd be able to return home and to your family then."

Tygra knew he was gaping. That just couldn't be true.

"What does it say exactly?"

The puma smiled, and patted Tygra's arm.

"Nothing that stands on plain view of course. But have in mind that every bonding has certain conditions that must be fulfilled."

Tygra was trying to make sense of the cleric's words, and about to demand further explanation when a servant interrupted them to tell them that the feast was ready to begin. Tygra had to return to Jareid's side for the toast, and the cleric gave him a final encouraging gesture before disappearing among the people to go to his place. Tygra felt Yeana pulling at his arm insistently.

"It's not true Tygra. I know it's not true! Both you and Lion-O are living here with us. Father said so!"

The tiger looked down. He had momentarily forgotten about Jareid's sister's presence. He tried to smile reassuringly at her.

"You're right Yeana. He must be confused. Come, let's go to our seats."

They picked Lion-O on their way, and walked together to the main table. When they were closer, both Yeana and Lion-O ran to their seats. Well, Lion-O sat at his place, and Yeana climbed on her father's lap. Tygra watched the small girl hurriedly telling something to Baal, and the king's brows frowning in annoyance. Tygra clenched his fists. Of course Baal had no qualms in sending his daughter to spy on Tygra. She was perfect for the job. The cleric had never realized that their little chat had had a witness.

The tiger prince was terribly confused. He looked around him and back at the main table. The cleric was mistaken. He had to be. Why would Baal go through the trouble to prepare all of this if the mating was only going to last a year? It made no sense!

Yabin had mentioned the ritual, but Tygra couldn't, for the life of him, remember anything that could possibly be wrong with the ritual. It had been carefully planned and performed flawlessly. There hadn't been anything out of place, and no error in the process. It was a life-time bonding for the spirits' sake! Last time Tygra checked a year was not the definition of _life-time_!

A hand rested on his lower back and he turned to find Jareid practically over him.

"Are you all right? Father said I'd better come for you."

Tygra sighed. He needed to think, and it was evident that he was in the wrong place to do it.

"It's nothing. The cleric just gave me a message from my father, but it doesn't really make sense, so…"

"Forget it."

Tygra stared at Jareid in surprise. The jaguar had a hard expression on his face.

"Uh?"

"Forget it Tygra. Whatever he said, it doesn't concern you anymore." A hand was suddenly grabbing Tygra's neck from behind, and Jareid pulled the teen towards himself. Tygra gasped and put his hands against Jareid's chest. "I've told you, you're mine. This is your home now. Forget about Thundera, whatever happens there is not your problem. You're never going back there."

Tygra looked at Jareid's eyes, to the spark of obsession that was there. He understood in that moment that even if the cleric was right, and there really was a way for him to return home, it didn't matter. Jareid was not letting him go away. He'd never let Tygra go.

"I know. I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying here with you."

Jareid nodded, satisfied with Tygra's answer. Then his hand released the tiger's neck and grabbed the slender hip. He guided his mate to the table for the toast, and the words that would preside the feast.

Some hours later, both princes retired to their room to spend what was to be their first night as an "official" couple.


	10. Chapter 10

**WARNINGS:** This contains Slash, and abuse, as well as mpreg. It is dark and treats themes for mature audience, such as implied rape and sex with a minor. Do not read if you don't like it.

***Disclaimer:** I don't own Thundercats, or any character or event associated to it, and I'm not making any money from this fiction.

**CHAPTER 10. A bombshell.**

"I don't care what the pact says, and I don't care how much my father had to give up! I'm not going back to Thundera!"

Lion-O said with determination. The cleric was seething in anger. Stupid, little good for nothing, cub. Why the fates had punished them with such an irresponsible heir? Why couldn't prince Tygra have been a lion? He would have made an excellent king, instead of being stuck at his brother's side.

"Prince Lion-O, this is not open to discussion! You'd be returning home with me, as your father wish you to!"

"No! I'm staying here with Tygra!"

Lion-O cursed his own stupidity. He shouldn't have opened the door to the cleric. He should have hid in his bed until the puma had abandoned the palace! They had been discussing for half an hour, and the cleric didn't want to understand that Lion-O was not going anywhere with him.

The puma growled in frustration and disgust.

"Prince Tygra would be better without you, don't you see it? He'd be glad to be rid of a nuisance that only causes him troubles!"

"That's a lie! Tygra needs me!"

"What would he need you for? Don't you realize that you're only a burden for him? He can't take his rightful place in Thundera because of you, and it's also for your cause that he has to endure this exile and the indignity to submit to the jaguar prince! To spare you!"

Lion-O froze. He gaped at the cleric and clenched his fists anxiously.

"No. That's not true. This is all because of a stupid war. Because we lost…"

"Your father was given a choice that wasn't real. He had to leave Tygra to the beasts because he's not allowed to renounce to his heir. Tygra's duty is to protect you, and I'm sure that he had had to tolerate many things here just to ensure your safety! You're too young to take care of yourself, and you're too young to be considered a proper mate. Your father and brother did their best to protect you, and you have the obligation to return to Thundera to do your duty, so your brother's sacrifice would not be in vain."

Lion-O clenched his teeth. Old insecurities were waking up again. His brother was the better son. He was only a burden for him. Grune's words resonated in his ears.

'_Tygra is the best choice for the crown; he just lacks the right lineage. Unfortunately, we're stuck with you.'_

"Pick up your pet, and let's go. I'm sure prince Tygra would be relieved to find out that you took your obligations seriously for once."

Lion-O sniffed. He actually gave a step to follow the cleric, and he scratched mechanically his left arm. And then he stopped, remembering his brother doing the exact same movement. He remembered Bengali asking him if Tygra had used to scratch his arms constantly. He recalled his brother's arms, bandaged from wrist to shoulder, and his dull eyes from the first month in Ix-Maal. Finally, he remembered the morning, just two days ago, when Bengali had been only too happy to see his disgruntled self after spending the night in a storage compartment. Jareid, all but shoving him inside his room, and Tygra on the bed. Tygra hugging him, thanking him for being there. And Bengali freaking out when he had discovered what Tygra had done to his arm, while Jareid swore that he hadn't noticed the moment the tiger had done it.

"No." He said quietly. Yabin, who had already turned his back on him, turned around again.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm not going."

"You selfish brat…"

"I don't care what you think! Tygra needs me! I promised I'd stay with him, and I'm doing that!"

The puma growled, and with a quick movement closed the space between him and the teen and grabbed Lion-O's arm painfully.

"I'm tired of you! You're coming with me now!"

"Release me!"

"What's happening here?"

Lion-O struggled and freed his arm from the cleric's grasp while the cat had turned to see who was interrupting them. Lion-O immediately ran to the door, where Xiao was looking unpleasantly at the puma. Yabin straightened and growled menacingly at the teen. Lion-O rubbed his arm and stood firm beside the jaguar's stoic form.

"Nothing to concern you. Prince Lion-O and I are leaving now. I'm taking him with me back to Thundera, and the transport is already waiting for us."

"Really? Because from what I heard yesterday, prince Lion-O is staying if he wants to."

"This has nothing to do with what he wants. It's an order! Lion-O, pick up your things. We're leaving now!"

A year ago, Lion-O would have obeyed. He had been used to follow Jaga's and other cleric's commands, because they had been his tutors. He had been used to people being exasperated with him and ordering him around. Now however, he stubbornly stayed at Xiao's side. This cat was not Jaga, and his present tutors talked to him in a very different way. He shook his head and took a step closer to Xiao. The cleric growled again.

"Listen Lion-O, if you don't obey me, there'd be hell to pay! You are going back to Thundera!"

Lion-O flinched, and Xiao had had just enough.

"Curious that you think you can give orders to a prince. As I was told, the clerics are in Thundera the same as the Shamans here. And the Shamans are loyal and the most trusted _servants_ of the crown."

He looked down at Lion-O, who didn't miss the stress in the word 'servants'. Yabin caught on it too and hissed in displeasure.

"The royal family never takes orders from servants."

Lion-O did his best to correct his posture and stood apart from Xiao's protective frame. He looked at the cleric in the eye, and remembered the times he had seen king Baal or Jareid issuing orders.

"I want you to leave and return to Thundera. Tell my father that I'm staying at my brother's side."

"You little…"

"I don't take orders from you! Now leave before I have the guards taking you away!"

If Lion-O had been alone, Yabin would have ignored the threat. Thundera's court was used to treat Lion-O as a cub who didn't know how to take on his responsibilities. But with Xiao there backing Lion-O, the cleric thought better about it.

"Your father would be disappointed. If it had been Tygra…"

"Leave. I don't need you comparing me with my brother."

Yabin left in a huff, and Lion-O let go of the breath he had been holding. Xiao put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"You did well prince Lion-O. You have to remember, you are the royalty, not the other way around."

"Father always said that one should never abuse his power."

"There's a difference between commanding respect and abusing power. You can be whatever type of king you want, but if you don't have your people's respect, you're signing in for a lot of trouble. You're young, but even if you were a small cub, your servants should know their place, and treat you with the deference and respect that is due to your position."

Lion-O bit his lip thoughtfully.

"But… how would I know if I'm being reasonable? I've seen Jareid, and I think that he trespasses his limits sometimes."

Xiao laughed and shook his head.

"I think there's no danger of you falling into that. Our prince is a handful. King Baal has spoiled him too much. It's true that he tends to abuse his power, and many of us have been dreading the day he'd become king. The council had been making up plans for a good advisor. Bengali is already saddled with the job, but it may not be enough. Prince Jareid needs someone that'd prevent him from putting his personal needs before the needs of the people. He's just too volatile."

Xiao sighed and then smiled confidently at Lion-O.

"Fortunately, he has your brother now. Prince Tygra has been a blessing. I don't know what he's doing, but prince Jareid is changing in a positive way. Maybe it's the fact that now he has someone to share his life with."

Lion-O shrugged, but smiled all the same. He hoped that his brother would find happiness and wouldn't end up resenting the life that had been forced on him.

* * *

Tygra stared at his hand resting on the pillows in front of him. He had been awake for quite sometime, but hadn't yet gathered enough willpower to move. His entire body ached, in and out, and he just knew that movement of any kind would bring pain with it. Jareid had been very rough with him. He had been very close to a panic attack at least twice during the night. He had slept very little, and still felt exhausted.

A bitter smile graced his lips, recalling some of the cleric's advice.

'_Just do your part, stop him if there's something you don't like.'_

Yeah, sure. Tygra would have scoffed if it hadn't been a waste of breath.

At least there had been a fair amount of pleasure for him. Damn Jareid. The cat was a complete asshole, but he had the most wonderful hands Tygra had ever felt. Not that he had any experience at all beyond his mate, but still. He was convinced that no one else could be that skilled.

The amount of light filling the room told him that it was late in the morning, but he didn't want to leave the bed and rejoin the living. He didn't think he'd be able to walk properly. Besides, Jareid still had him trapped. The jaguar was behind his back, one arm had snaked down the tiger's armpit and around his torso, and the other hand was languidly caressing the teen's flat stomach. One of Jareid's legs was over both of Tygra's.

The tiger sighed. Jareid was purring in contentment and was nuzzling the top of Tygra's head. The teen started to purr too in reflex. He was not adverse to just lie on the bed, encroached in his mate's arms, and let the morning pass by. He was very comfortable in fact. He didn't even mind Jareid's small show of possessiveness at the moment. The jaguar's purr was a soothing sound and was keeping Tygra into some sort of slumber that the tiger was in fact enjoying.

Eventually, Jareid tightened his embrace just a little bit and mumbled, still groggy in his half-awake state.

"Mine… all mine…"

Tygra groaned in half-hearted protest. They'd be moving soon and he was not looking forward to face training with sore muscles. Jareid's hand squeezed his stomach lightly and possessively.

"… can't wait to see you all round with our cubs…"

That…

Tygra's ears twitched and his eyes opened in slight alarm. He couldn't have just heard what he thought.

"What?"

"I'm sure you'd look just as beautiful… even pregnant…"

Ok. Now he was fully awake and alert. He rolled around, ignoring his protesting muscles, and stared at his mate, who by the way was still in the process of regaining consciousness.

"What are you talking about?"

Jareid opened one sleepy eye to regard his mate with confusion.

"Cubs. We are going to have cubs." He smiled lecherously at the slowly panicking tiger. "And they're going to look gorgeous with both our looks. Stripes and spots. I wonder if they'd mix."

Surely Jareid was still dreaming. Or someone had slipped something in his drink while no one had noticed.

"Jareid… you are aware that both of us are males, right?"

Jareid scoffed and closed his eye again.

"Of course I am. What about it?"

"Wha…? You do know that two males can't have cubs together, do you? You need a consort to have your heir!"

That forced Jareid to wake up enough to scowl at Tygra. A low growl of annoyance rumbled between them.

"I've told you repeatedly Tygra. There is not going to be any consort. I don't need any bloody consort! You _are_ carrying _our_ cubs. Understand?"

Tygra was getting scared. He pushed himself away from his mate's body, trying to get some space to breath. Jareid grabbed him by the elbows and growled louder.

"Tygra…"

"I'm a male! Males can't procreate with other males, and they certainly can't get pregnant! I don't have the necessary anatomy parts to carry cubs!"

Jareid looked stunned for a moment. He gave Tygra the strangest face ever. Then he chuckled and shook his head. The tiger was feeling anger quickly replacing his fear.

"What's so funny?!"

"… Sorry… I just forgot that you grew up in a place where technology is a fairy tale for kittens."

Tygra looked at Jareid in utter confusion.

"Tech? What does that have to do with cubs?"

"Well, there's something called biotech, that the shamans are very fond of. There are certain procedures that enable two males, or two females, to procreate with each other."

Tygra was speechless. He had not expected to hear that in a million years. Sure, he had always know that Jareid would eventually need an heir, and had at the time lamented that he would be denied any cubs of his own, seeing how jealous his mate was. Now…

He was still trying to get his mind to work again after the havoc that Jareid's little speech had just caused.

"Tygra? I didn't mean to break you." Jareid said sheepishly, and a bit worried. Tygra blinked at him.

"You're telling me… that _we_ are having cubs…"

"Of course."

"B-bu… I… two females I understand, but I… how can a male…?"

He was not very coherent at the moment. Fortunately Jareid seemed to understand what he wanted to ask.

"Conception is really no big deal, from what I've been told. Of course, when two males are the parents one of them has to undergo surgery to be able to be the carrier. It's not so bad, just a minor surgery."

"Just a minor surgery?! Jareid, I'm not turning into a female!"

"Of course you're not! I'm not saying that! You're not loosing anything, you're only going to have something extra so you can carry our cubs, that's all."

That's all. Sure. Easy for him to say! Tygra was not undergoing any surgery!

"Surely there is another way…"

"Tygra…"

"I'm not biologically made to carry cubs Jareid! What if something goes wrong? I'm not anyone's experiment!"

He was freaking out and Jareid grabbed the nape of his neck and pressed a point at the base that made him go limp. The jaguar started massaging the back of his head to calm him down.

"Ow…"

"Relax. No one is going to be experimenting with you. Look, some male couples ask to a female to be the carrier. But I very much prefer that we don't have anyone else mixed in this. Females instinctually bond with cubs they carry, even if they're not their own. I'm not having anyone demanding any kind of rights over our cubs!"

Tygra was still shaken. He needed time to process this new development. Cubs had not been something he had given much thought to, much less after being given to a male partner. It had been implied that it was Jareid the one who needed to have at least one cub, not him. Apparently he had been wrong.

He breathed deeply and licked his lips. Jareid continued massaging his scalp, soothing him.

"Just imagine it Tygra. Our cubs. Our own family. You see that I have no need for a consort? Only you my tiger. You are all that I need."

It didn't sound bad. Tygra liked the idea to have his own family. He just protested the method to obtain it.

He sighed and decided to dwell on it another day. He hoped that Jareid would give him time to actually process the idea before demanding cubs. Hopefully, enough time for Tygra to get Bengali to convince the jaguar that a female carrier sounded like a very good idea.

"I do want cubs… I suppose. I just… well, actually I've never really thought about that. I just assumed there'd be no cubs. Not _ours_ at least."

Jareid caressed his cheek and kissed his temple tenderly.

"Wouldn't that have been a shame?"

Tygra sighed. His mind was still having problems with the whole 'male pregnancy' concept.

Suddenly, his brows furrowed. Jaga had mentioned the lack of offspring, back when Baal had first announced his intentions of having Tygra mated to his son. The jaguar king had not been worried in the least. Well, now Tygra knew why.

The tiger bit his lower lip, feeling anxious all of a sudden. Jareid prodded his chin to make him look at the blue eyes.

"Are you getting this Tygra? _We_ are having cubs. I'm not procreating offspring with anyone but you."

Tygra gulped and nodded slowly. Jareid's eyebrows were forming a scowl that sent shivers down the tiger's spine. It was not an angry scowl, but it was still fearsome.

"Y-yes. I'd give you cubs, just… You are giving me time, don't you? To get my mind around this? I mean… we don't need to start having cubs just yet. Maybe a couple of years? Please?"

He really, really didn't need Jareid deciding that he wanted an heir as soon as possible. The jaguar prince was old enough to start thinking about cubs, but Tygra was sixteen! He wasn't remotely prepared to raise kits.

Jareid sighed and looked at Tygra with an apologetic expression that made the tiger worry.

"Maybe we'd wait for the second cub. For this… Tygra, we have a year to have an heir."

The tiger froze. He felt his mouth go dry and he tried to push Jareid away again. The jaguar held firm.

"We… why? J-Jareid I can't…!"

"Our bonding requires it. The alliance between the clans require an heir from both bloods for it to be true."

Tygra stared at Jareid incredulously. The ritual… The cleric had said that every ritual had requirements. He remembered then.

The rite they had chosen was for a blood alliance. Every blood alliance required an heir within the year, to truly seal a pact between two clans. The majority of the rituals made certain concessions to same gender couples, but the one they had performed happened to be very strict. If there was no heir, it was a signal that the spirits had not blessed the pact, rendering the mating null. If one of them had a first descendant from a cat other than his mate, it was declared treason, and the alliance obliterated. Tygra had forgotten it. He had studied the rites long ago, and over the past few months he had only focussed on learning the basics and memorizing the words he would have had to say. He hadn't given a second thought to the requirements that surrounded the rite but were not part of the ceremony.

Tygra's hands trembled. He understood his father's reasoning then. Both Jareid and Tygra were males. Claudus never expected them to produce cubs. Once the year had gone by, and the alliance was broken, there'd be no more reason for Tygra to stay in Ix-Maal. The pact would be null, and there'd be no need for retaliation because it wouldn't have been anyone's fault. Claudus was counting on Baal to know this and return Tygra unharmed.

The tiger clenched his fists and groaned painfully. He now knew what his father had been thinking. Claudus had seen how useless and stupid had been to provoke the jaguars. The war, if it could have been called that, had been nothing but retaliation for a stupid mistake. Claudus believed that Baal had been satisfied showing off and making his position clear, and that the treaty had just been something to hold over Claudus' head for a while, so the lions would not forget again who they were dealing with. The lion king had focused on retrieving his heir, because he had been convinced that Tygra would be returned eventually. How was he to know that cubs between two males were a possibility?

But Baal knew. Baal had known all along what he had been doing. He had been the one to write the treaty. He had been the one to push Claudus to send his sons away and fight to have just his heir back, believing that he didn't need to worry about his oldest son.

Tygra was so going to kill Baal.

Suddenly, realization broke through his brain, and he widened his eyes. He could go home.

No sooner had the thought appeared in his mind, than he heard Jareid growl. He tried to escape the bed, only to have the bigger and heavier body of the jaguar over him in an instant, pinning him to the mattress. Tygra wriggled. He wanted to throw Jareid off him, as futile as he knew his efforts were. The jaguar bit his neck and he cried in outrage, but had no choice but to calm down.

"Don't even think about it." The prince hissed in his ear. "You know I'm not letting you go Tygra. You know you're mine! Even if we don't have that cub, you're staying here. I don't care if that means another fucking war, I'm not giving you up!"

Tygra closed his eyes, and tried to summon the loathing he had once held for Jareid. Instead he felt lost and sad. He didn't know what he should do, so many things had happened. He wasn't the same. But he missed his home so much.

He could refuse to have a cub. Jareid could try to force him, but he still remembered how difficult it had been for his mother to maintain a pregnancy. It was not something you could simply demand of someone and get it. If they had no cubs within the year Tygra'd be free from the bonding, and Baal wouldn't start a new conflict just for him. He wouldn't. Right?

He shook his head. Jareid growled at him again and he ignored it. He just went limp under his mate's weight and refused to acknowledge the other. He didn't open his eyes, not even when he was bitten again, and it was evident that the jaguar was angry.

Eventually, Jareid left him on the bed, threatening to drag him into the shamans' wing if he needed to. Tygra didn't get up until he was sure that he was alone in the room. He took a quick shower and dressed up, covering the ghastly bruise on his neck as best as he could. Then he got out of the rooms, looking for reassurance of some sort.

* * *

Lion-O was diligently solving the equations that his tutor had assigned him. He had not seen Tygra at breakfast, but he wasn't too worried about that. He had been told that his brother and Jareid would probably want to spend the morning in bed. Apparently that was expected of every couple that was just mated.

He was just finished with his exercise when the door of the room that he was using as "classroom" opened, and Tygra's voice interrupted his calculations.

"Lion-O, are you alone?"

The lion turned and smiled at his big brother. Then frowned at the look on the tiger's face.

"Tygra, are you all right? You look… tired."

"I'm fine, I just didn't sleep much. Listen, has the cleric talked to you? I wanted to tell him a couple of things."

"Oh, too late brother. Baal sent him home early in the morning."

"Really?" Tygra huffed. "Figures." Then he looked at his brother seriously. "He wanted to take you back with him. Didn't he tell you anything?"

Lion-O shrugged, and his hand went to pet Snarf, who had climbed on the teen's desk.

"He mentioned something, but I told him that I was staying here with you."

Tygra walked some steps to be at his brother's side and started raking his fingers through the thick red mane. Lion-O sighed.

"Tygra, am I a burden for you?"

The tiger's fingers stopped in mid-motion, and the orange teen scowled.

"Who told you that?"

Lion-O pressed his lips together and then answered.

"It's just… back at Thundera, it was sort of implied that you'd fare better without me." The lion looked up at his brother uneasily. "I am not causing you problems, am I?"

"Of course not. You've been great this entire year Lion-O."

The lion smiled again, one significant burden lifted from his shoulders. Tygra resumed playing with the red mane.

"Tell me Lion-O, wouldn't you have preferred to stay home, instead of being stuck here because of me?"

Lion-O scowled and crossed his arms.

"I thought you just said that I'm not causing you problems."

"I didn't mean it like that. I'm just saying that maybe you miss home, and maybe you'd regret not having taken your chance to return because of me."

Lion-O was appeased, and gave his brother a small smile.

"I do miss home. But I also like it here Tygra, a lot. It's really not a problem for me to stay; besides, no one at home wanted me back anyway. I could tell."

"You know that's not true Lion-O. The people of Thundera want their heir back. You know that father loves you, and I'm sure that Jaga wants _his_ favourite back."

Lion-O shrugged.

"Well, yes and maybe, but I'm sure I can convince Baal to let me communicate with them. And the rest of Thundera may want a heir to the throne, but they don't want me."

He pouted. Tygra gave an exasperated sigh.

"You're the heir Lion-O. Everyone knows that you're the future king, of course they want you in Thundera."

"No Tygra, they want you."

"Lion-O…"

"That's the truth, and you know it! The entire palace sees me as a burden. They wish you were a lion, so they could put you in the throne instead of me. Every single one of them! Even father!"

Lion-O was on his feet and yelling when he finished the last sentence. Snarf jumped down the desk, a bit scared, and Tygra gave a step back, baffled at his brother's outburst. The lion sighed and looked down resentfully.

"I don't doubt that dad loves me. He just loves you more."

Tygra embraced his little brother, not quite knowing what to say.

"It's not true Lion-O. He loves you more. He has loved you from the moment Jaga told him that mom was pregnant."

Lion-O sighed, but decided not to answer. Tygra patted his head and looked towards the notebook, trying to change the conversation.

"That looks pretty difficult. Do you even know what is it for?"

Lion-O's eyes brightened and he launched into an explanation about algebra and how you could apply different formulas to find missing data. They got interrupted by the return of Lion-O's tutor, who was surprised to find the tiger there.

"Are you finished prince Lion-O? Ah, prince Tygra! I didn't know you were here."

"Sorry. I just wanted to tell my brother something. I didn't want to interrupt his classes."

"Not a problem my prince. I'm sure your brother did an excellent job as always."

Lion-O beamed at his tutor's praise and presented his recently finished equations to him. Tygra smiled at his brother's excitement. An entire year, and Lion-O was still getting used to his tutors praising him, instead of belittling him and comparing him to Tygra every opportunity they had. The tiger sighed. Lion-O was really happy with the jaguars. More than he had ever been in Thundera. He squeezed the young lion's shoulder and messed his mane. Lion-O made a face at him.

"Well, I'd leave you to it then." He half turned, but then he paused to stare at Snarf. The small creature had climbed to Lion-O's shoulder and was looking at the tutor, apparently interested in how the cat was marking Lion-O's work. Tygra cooked his head to one side.

"I should probably take Snarf with me, so Lion-O can concentrate."

Snarf lifted his head and mewled at him. Lion-O pressed his lips, wanting to protest, but his tutor spoke first.

"Oh, it's no problem. The pet can stay. Your brother is not easily distracted when he's working."

"Really?"

Tygra lifted his eyebrows in wonder. It was the first time he had heard one of Lion-O's tutors saying that the teen was **not** easily distracted. The majority of their Thunderian tutors hated Snarf's presence and had forbidden Lion-O from having his pet close by when he was supposed to be studying. Tygra considered Lion-O's form, now positively preening with pride, and smiled.

"Ok then. I'd see you later tyke."

"Later bro!"

Tygra still heard Lion-O's tutor declaring that the lion had done an excellent job and that it was time to move to more difficult problems. He shook his head and smiled in wonder. Maybe he could convince Baal to send a report of Lion-O's advance in his studies to Thundera. He was sure it'd cause a few heart attacks.

* * *

Training was in a way liberating for Tygra. It allowed him to focus entirely on a physical activity and forget everything else. That day though, Tygra found it very hard to forget his problems. Everyone of his teammates kept asking him questions about Jareid, and whether or not certain pieces of gossip that they had heard were true or not. It was as if he suddenly had been named the one authority in all things concerning Jareid. And who the hell had told the rest of his team that now they were allowed to ask him whatever they could think of? It was annoying!

Also, the exercise seemed to make his muscles remember how sore they had been in the morning, and the subsequent debacle that had ensued. He left the training court barely walking. It didn't help either that quite a few of the high-ranking trainees thought that personal congratulations were in order. They organized a small get-together in the barracks, and tried to engage Tygra on intimate conversation. Someone actually mentioned the possibility of cubs due to the tiger's extraordinary position.

That seemed to refresh Tygra's trainer's, Kab, memory. The cat assured the young prince that his current rank among the hunter's trainees will not suffer should Jareid demand cubs immediately. Tygra was one of the best in his team, and could afford a few months out of training.

The tiger was deeply embarrassed. It seemed that everyone had assumed that he would be carrying cubs very soon. Tygra was still freaked out and getting disturbed by the fact that everyone thought it natural for him to carry cubs. He was in a daze when he finally escaped to the relative safety of the palace.

What was worse was that he sensed that everyone was expecting him to be happy about the idea. What was to be happy about? He was renouncing to his home dammit! Couldn't they see that? He wanted to return home!

But the thing was that Jareid was not going to allow him to leave his side. Tygra knew him enough to know that he had been serious when he had said that he didn't care if he provoked another war. He wasn't going to give the tiger back.

Tygra sighed. It was diner time, but he didn't want to confront Jareid. He was a mess, and he didn't know what to feel. He needed time.

Unfortunately, time was a luxury he didn't have. Jareid was not going to tolerate his mate avoiding him forever. The jaguar could easily force Tygra to stay in the bedroom at his disposal. Just the same he could force him into the Shamans' wing, to have whatever procedure was needed started. Tygra knew that Bengali would try to soften the blow for him, but in the end the white tiger would have to do as Jareid commanded.

As if that wasn't enough, there was another thing that was making havoc in Tygra's mind: He really didn't want to anger Jareid.

Most of the year, Tygra had been doing a conscious effort to get used to the other prince. He had forced himself to submit to the jaguar's wishes. He had fought the terror and loathing he had felt for the older male, and tried to coexist with him. It had been hard, but he had accepted the fact that Jareid was his dominant mate, and that he would have to spend his entire life at his side. He had striven to resign himself to his role and keep Jareid happy. A happy jaguar prince was a lot easier to get along with, and Tygra had finally been feeling content at his mate's side. Not exactly at home, but very close to.

He was totally, and completely mental. Claudus would be so disappointed on him.

The image of his father shoved Tygra's thoughts in a slightly different direction. What would he be returning home to? He couldn't just resume his life at the point he had left it. It didn't feel like his life anymore, even if it had been only a year. He had fought so hard to adapt in Ix-Maal that now getting back to what used to be would be like starting over again.

There was also the part of his mate. Tygra had not completely overcome the trauma of his first encounters with Jareid, especially the first time the jaguar had claimed him. It was forever burned in his mind, and would be a permanent shadow between them. But the thing was that he didn't feel capable to have any mate other than Jareid, male or female. He just knew that he wouldn't be able to cope with any one else. Jareid had ruined him for the rest of the world.

And what about Lion-O? His brother was so happy in Ix-Maal, and Thundera had always been cruel to him. Tygra didn't want to see Lion-O miserable again, and he was sure that Claudus would not allow his heir any further contact with the jaguars if they returned home. Tygra felt really lost.

Bengali found him on one of the balconies, and approached him quietly.

"Here you are. Jareid is freaking out, and insisting that I talk to you and make you see reason. What did he do this time?"

Tygra, who was supporting himself on the railing, turned his head to glance at the white tiger and gave him a half-smile.

"Is it always Jareid the one to blame for my bad moods?"

"Of course he is! You can deal pretty well with everyone else. It's only our esteemed prince the one who can upset you so much."

Tygra chuckled bitterly. He felt such a failure for not knowing how to deal with his own mate.

"So, what did he do?"

The orange tiger sighed and looked up in front of him, biting his lip. He could feel Bengali's displeasure at the small act, but thankfully the shaman didn't comment on it.

"Cubs." He said simply, hoping that Ben knew what he was talking about. The white tiger frowned for a moment and then comprehension downed on him.

"Ah. As in the last requirement to seal the pact."

The young tiger nodded. Bengali understood.

"I see. Damn Jareid and his big mouth."

"I was going to know sooner of later anyway."

"Yes, but it could have been from someone who actually knows what tactfulness means."

Tygra chuckled sincerely at that.

"I doubt it had made a difference in the long run."

"Maybe, but it could have saved you some stress."

Tygra sighed. He wanted to talk to Bengali, but he still was very confused himself. The shaman put a hand on his shoulder in a comforting gesture.

"He's not giving you a choice, is he?"

The young tiger shook his head sadly. This was no way to decide whether or not to form a family.

"I can stay here quietly, or I can make a fuss about it. Either way I'm not going anywhere." He turned to look at Bengali again, wanting some kind of guidance. "Unless Baal decides I'm too much trouble. I'm really not worth another conflict with Thundera, Jareid would just have to accept it."

Bengali sighed.

"He would if Baal actually decides to go against his wishes. The problem is that our king rarely puts a stop to his heir."

Tygra crossed his arms and leaned on the railing. Ben stood at his side.

"I know that this is going to sound like a stupid question but, do you really want to leave?"

The young prince stared ahead, and considered the question.

"There shouldn't be any reason for me to want to stay."

"What should be and what is are sometimes very different things."

Tygra licked his lips nervously.

"I miss home. But I like it here too. I love the training. The jungle is so different from what I was used to. And Lion-O is so happy here."

Bengali looked with sadness at the young tiger, but remained silent and let him work his way through what he was feeling. Tygra gave a deep breath after a while.

"This is just stupid. I mean, I'm here because we managed to anger Baal. The war, the treaty, all of it was retaliation for ill spoken words! He made his point! He proved that he could destroy Thundera if he wanted! There's no real reason for him to want me here! Nothing but Jareid's stubbornness and his whim to have me at his side! I don't even understand why he wants me!"

Bengali grasped his shoulder to calm him down and Tygra sighed.

"If the pact is not sealed, would Baal send me home Ben? Even if Jareid doesn't want me to go? I'm not worth the conflict that would arise, it'd be too much trouble just for a passing fancy."

"You're not seeing the big picture Tygra. You weren't here before the war, and have no point of comparison. It's true that Baal initially concocted the treaty just to spite Claudus and humiliate the Thunderians. If Jareid hadn't shown any interest in you, Baal would probably have let you go back home and happily forget Thundera's existence. But now, things are different."

Tygra scoffed and turned around, so he was facing the palace instead of the jungle.

"Why? Because Jareid developed a liking for me?"

"Yes."

Tygra shook his head in incomprehension."

"He should be assessing the damage he could do to his and other's cities, not the way to grant his son's wishes!"

"You don't understand. As I said before, you're only been around for a year. You have no idea of how Jareid was. He acted like a kit. He had no sense of responsibility, and even when he had to be present at council meetings, he didn't really care about the decisions taken there. He only caused troubles, and it was not always for bedding whoever wanted to take turn with him. His sexual scandals are only the part that everybody knows about."

Tygra frowned, trying to picture what Bengali was telling him. The white tiger continued.

"To tell you the truth, everyone was starting to be afraid of him. He can be very violent, as you have seen, and the council had been pressured to deal with him now, they were getting aghast thinking about what they'd do when he'd be the king."

"A treason in the making?"

"Oh, no. The jaguar clan is very loyal. They'd follow the king to the abyss without protest. We were just getting worried that it might actually happen."

"So, what changed?"

"Well, you."

Tygra looked at his friend with incredulity. Ben smiled.

"You don't realize how much Jareid has changed since you arrived. I don't know what happened. No one knows what you did. Suffice to say that the majority of the court considers you some kind of miracle."

Tygra huffed again and shook his head, this time in wonder.

"Really? Many of them had made it clear that their prince deserves better."

"Oh, well. There's always someone stupid enough to let prejudices and pride obstruct the view of reality. And those spreading that kind of gossip are merely the ones that want to be in your place. No matter how bad Jareid conducts himself, he's still the future king. And now that he's actually acting like he's supposed to, many had convinced themselves that they could have been the one to make the change happen, if only they had tried long enough."

"It's still crazy. No one changes overnight."

"True. Which means that Jareid had always known what was expected of him and known how to take on his responsibilities. He just didn't want to do it."

Tygra closed his eyes and groaned.

"He's a bastard."

"Baal would not agree with you."

Tygra glared at the white tiger, who chuckled unrepentantly.

"I know what you mean, and yes, he is. But at least he is on his way to be a decent enough king. Everyone is convinced that you made that happen, and Baal is certainly not letting you go anytime soon."

"Oh, that's rich! He can't control his own heir so he needs some sort of leash for him? I'm not doing anything! I'm just… well, I'm just here! He's really going to risk a war just to keep me here? I still say that I'm not worth the trouble."

"Tygra, don't you see? You are a gods' sent for us, not only for the council, or the court. Not even for Baal, but for the people. An entire clan that is escaping been ruled by a very cruel and tyrannical king, because that's what Jareid was leading to. Only because of you. It's you the reason why he has changed. Somehow, you're the one who's keeping him stable. This kingdom has now a responsible heir to the crown thanks to you. So yes, for Baal, you're very much worth the trouble."

Tygra was baffled. He closed his eyes and sighed. He couldn't believe what Ben was saying.

"This is not fair. I'm not a miracle, I'm… there's never a choice for me, is it?"

"I'm sorry. Listen, Baal is not unreasonable. He can find a way to negotiate this with you and Claudus. I think that both parts would want to find a resolution that wouldn't imply war."

The young tiger stared at the floor in dejection and Bengali felt guilty. Tygra was just a boy; he shouldn't have to face this kind of burden.

"You always have a choice Tygra, even if it doesn't look like it. I wish I could make things easier for you."

The teen shook his head and rubbed his face.

"It's not really a choice… Even if I go back home, it won't be the same. I'd always feel like something is missing and I won't be able to have my own family if I go back."

Bengali frowned and his hand rested on Tygra's shoulder blades.

"That's not true Tygra. You're young and handsome. Even if the mating is broken, you'd be able to start your own family."

A self-deprecating parody of a smile appeared on Tygra's lips and he shook his head in denial.

"No. If there's one thing I'm certain of, it's that I'm not going to be capable to be with anyone other than Jareid. I share his bed because I have to, but I still have panic attacks once in a while. He knows what triggers them, and is careful to slow down at the right moment to calm me, but others…"

"Tygra…"

"He forced me Ben! That will forever be in my mind. If he ever lets me go, no one is touching me again!"

He gave a deep breath and calmed down.

"Which only means that he's my one chance to have a family of my own. If I go back home, I'd be renouncing to that."

Bengali's hand moved to his arm and squeezed comfortingly.

"You're seeing things too black right now. Give yourself time Tygra. You'd see that whatever choice you make, you'd not be alone to confront whatever comes with it. You have friends and family. Claudus is not here physically, but your brother is. Whatever you choose, I'm sure your family will back you up."

Tygra bit his lip. He wanted to believe that. Believe that Claudus wouldn't see him as a failure because he had submitted to Jareid's wishes. That Lion-O would not resent him if he got both of them out of Ix-Maal. There was just so much in his head that he couldn't make sense of what he actually wanted. Bengali made him look at his eyes.

"It's your decision to make Tygra. Once you do it, you'd find the way to follow it, and you'd realize that there'd be friends to help you. But it's you who have to make the choice, because the consequences would be yours to deal and live with."

Tygra licked his lips and nodded. He understood that, but he was still confused. He just needed to think, to process the situation, to get to terms with it. And at the moment he needed to rest.

He felt wary to go to the bedroom, knowing that Jareid would be there and would demand something. He wanted to ask Bengali if there was somewhere else for him to spend the night. He was just about to open his mouth to do so when he heard the door to the balcony opening.

Both tigers turned to see Jareid calmly approaching them. Tygra immediately tried to look the other way. His hands grabbed the edge of the railing, and a shiver of fear went through his spine. Jareid stopped a few steps in front of them and scowled at his mate.

"Let's go Tygra. It's getting late."

The orange tiger closed his eyes, but he nodded resignedly and straightened. He gave a cursory glance to Bengali and tried to sidestep Jareid, who caught his arm with a firm hand. The jaguar was about to say something, but Bengali beat him to it.

"Your Excellency, may I have a word with you?"

Jareid glared daggers at the shaman. He despised the title of "Excellency" when Bengali said it. It felt too formal, and it meant that the white tiger wanted to put distance between them. The shaman was unfazed.

"Let Tygra go, I'm sure he's capable to find the way to your rooms alone. I need to speak with you."

The jaguar prince growled, but he let go of Tygra and ordered him to go ahead. The youth nodded in gratitude at his friend and walked away.

As soon as Tygra was out of sight, Jareid turned his full attention on Bengali.

"What do you want?"

"Calm down would you? I just want you to see reason, that's all."

"Me? See reason? I'm being very reasonable! I'm letting him think things over!"

"And what would happen if he decides he doesn't want to seal the pact?"

Jareid immediately growled and showed his teeth.

"He is sealing it! One way or the other! I'm not giving him back Ben, not ever! He's staying with me!"

"Even against his will? Would you really hurt him that much Jareid?"

The jaguar gave a low roar and turned around, apparently to leave.

"Jareid!"

The prince hit the wall that framed the glass door of the balcony with his clenched fist. He roared again, but he stopped. Bengali approached him.

"Calm the fuck down! You have to realize that Tygra is his own person, and you have to accept his choice…"

"He's not leaving Bengali! I'm not letting him! I'd fucking destroy Thundera if I have to!"

"So, you'd force him to stay and be miserable, without a thought for what he wants?"

"He's mine! He's my mate, and he's staying!"

"Your mate? Really? Well, let me inform you that you're not treating him as a mate. You're acting like a spoiled kid who's been threatened to give up his favourite toy! Tygra's not a thing!"

"I know he's not! You repeat it enough!"

"Oh, you know it, but you certainly don't believe it, do you? You treat him as property of your own."

"Well, he is my property!" Jareid advanced on Bengali, who growled and held his ground. They both stood eye to eye. "He was mine from the moment our parents signed that treaty. Mine to keep!"

"Or throw away if you want to? To kill him even if it pleases you?"

Jareid throw a punch at him. Bengali stopped it and put a hand to the jaguar's chest. He applied a bit of energy and pushed to get the other cat away from him. Jareid roared. He hated when Bengali used his magic against him. He knew that the white tiger wouldn't hurt him, but would use enough force to stop him, and Jareid hated to not be able to move. So, he kept his distance from Ben's person, who was now blocking the door to the inside of the palace.

"You're going to loose him, even if he stays, if you insist on treating him this way. You can't make him feel what you want at command. If he decides to detach himself from the world he could very well do it, and there'd be nothing you can do to make him responsive again."

"We'd see about that!"

Bengali growled and tried to modulate his voice.

"You forced him once. You saw what happened then. Is that really what you want?"

Jareid clenched and unclenched his fists several times. His incessant growl lowered and finally he turned his head to the side.

"No." He buffed and turned to look at Bengali again. The white tiger almost sighed in relief. At least there was reason sparkling in the clear blue eyes of his prince.

"What I want is for him to be with me. For him to understand that he's home! Why would he want to leave?"

Now Bengali sighed. Not for the first time he wished that someone had taken the time to teach Jareid to feel empathy for others.

"He doesn't _want_ to leave. He just believes that he shouldn't have any reason to want to stay."

Jareid's eyes narrowed and he hissed.

"That doesn't make sense."

"You have to understand that he was expected to meet certain standards, and to follow a determined set of values and rules. Claudus expected the best from him, and the lion king has his own idea of what applies as the best! Those expectations are weighing heavily on him, and he just found out that he can fulfil one of his father's wishes, so he's rather desperate at the moment."

"One of Claudus' wishes? How?"

Ben raised an eyebrow. He refrained from teasing Jareid on his lack of comprehension because he didn't want the jaguar angry at him again.

"Claudus is expecting Tygra to do whatever he could to survive Ix-Maal and to take the opportunity to return to Thundera with open arms. Claudus is expecting his two sons back. Tygra believes that he'd be betraying his father if he actually decides to stay."

The growl was back, but this time Jareid didn't throw any punches.

"He doesn't have to be worrying about Claudus. What the lion wants doesn't matter anymore!"

"It matters Jareid. Because Claudus is Tygra's father, and he won't suddenly stop being so, just because Tygra is miles away and mated! Even if the lion were dead, his expectations would still be very much alive in Tygra's head. You can't erase Claudus from Tygra's life Jareid. It doesn't work that way."

The jaguar prince wasn't liking this speech. He didn't like the fact that he had to acknowledge Tygra's family. He wanted the tiger only for him.

"Why can't I make him forget? Why can't he just whip all of Thundera away from his mind?!"

"Because it's his home. It's part of what he is, and he'd be incomplete if he gives that up."

Jareid grumped, not happy at all.

"I don't want to give him back Ben."

Bengali gave a slight not and finally relaxed his posture.

"Then you better give him a good enough reason to want to stay Jareid. And I think that he'd appreciate some solitude for tonight."

Jareid put his fists on his hips on petulance, and nodded. He too needed some time to think anyway. Bengali seemed satisfied, but he still approached the prince and touched his arm.

"It's not so hard Jareid. But you have to keep in mind that there's a difference between a mate and a slave, and Tygra is not feeling very much like the former at the moment."

He left, leaving Jareid rather stunned.

* * *

Tygra lied on the bed, staring at the ceiling and the part of the sky that the tall window let him see. He loved the view. On full moon nights, it was beautiful the way it inundated the room in silver light.

He was only wearing black shorts, since it was not cold. The thin sheet was enough for him to be comfortable. Bengali had called him with the communicator and had told him that Jareid was likely to leave him the room for himself that night. The tiger was grateful for not having to deal with his obnoxious mate for the moment, but he was finding it difficult to sleep.

After what had felt like hours, he sighed and got up. The bed was just too big for him, and it had Jareid's smell impregnated on it. He stood up and glared at the room in general. Every single part of it reminded him of Jareid and Tygra wanted to deny the fact that he actually missed the bastard's body close to him.

He growled in annoyance. How could he go about pretending that the jaguar didn't exist if all the bloody room smelt of him? He wanted his own room, so he could throw a tantrum in peace!

He debated whether or not go to the sitting room and lay down on one of the couches, but he wanted to stay close to the window and see the starlight sky. Finally his eyes landed on his puff. He loved the thing. It was soft and cosy, and didn't keep heat. Besides, only Tygra used it, so it didn't have Jareid's smell yet. It was perfect.

He grabbed a sheet from the bed and walked over to the puff, climbing eagerly on it. He curled up and covered himself, sighing happily at the feeling of cool softness from the puff's fabric. He was finally asleep within minutes.


	11. Chapter 11

**WARNINGS:** This contains Slash, and abuse, as well as mpreg. It is dark and treats themes only for mature audience, such as mentions of rape and sex with a minor. Do not read if you don't like it.

***Disclaimer:** I don't own Thundercats, or any character or event associated to it, and I'm not making any money from this fiction.

**Author's note:** I realized that I never described Jareid or his family. Bad me. I'm sorry for the omission, I'm not really good describing characters. Both Baal and Jareid have the usual colouring for the coat, that is yellow-brownish. Yeana's coat is a clearer shade of yellow, almost white, blue eyes and strawberry mane, and Xilara is a black jaguar with indigo eyes.

**CHAPTER 11. What makes a family.**

Jareid glared at the stack of paper on his desk. Technically he was in charge of the royal guard and everything pertaining it since he had been twenty-two, though it hadn't been until recently that he had started to take that responsibility seriously. Part of his duty was to read the reports and take decisions, but lately it was not only the royal guard he had to take care of. His father had decided that he was old enough to take on the city guard too, maybe the rest of their forces if he showed that he could manage it.

The prince growled and looked out the window. He wasn't in the mood to work. He was busy thinking about what to do with Tygra. He hadn't spoken to his mate for the entire day. He had been trying to give the tiger space and time to make his decision, just as Bengali had said.

He still thought it was preposterous! But alas, if Tygra needed it…

Jareid sighed. If his mate needed it, he would do it, but it was driving him crazy. He felt the familiar pull of anger bubbling inside him, and he closed his eyes and breathed in an effort to control it. If he let it grow he'd go hunting his mate and demand an answer from him, and he'd hurt the tiger if he didn't like the answer. Jareid didn't want to hurt his mate. He wanted Tygra to feel safe at his side, not terrorized.

He had been doing a good job, if he himself said it. He was sure that Tygra enjoyed his touches and was at ease in his presence. The tiger was advancing in his studies and it was obvious that he loved the jungle and his training. Why then was he still longing for Thundera?

Bengali had said that Claudus' expectations still weighed heavily on the young tiger. Then, how could Jareid go about to make those expectations insignificant?

He grunted in frustration. A family would do that. If Tygra had his own family, he wouldn't feel so pressured to fulfil his father's demands. His family would take priority.

Which took Jareid back to his initial dilemma. How was he going to convince Tygra that having cubs right now was a good idea? He couldn't force him. He knew that, even without Bengali's input, it wouldn't be the same. A cub was something to be cherished, not resented, and Jareid was not having his mate resenting their cub.

He turned towards his desk, full of reports and orders to approve, and growled again. It was a minor task, but he would be taking a more active role in the government of the city little by little. Funny. He had always known that his father was always busy, but it hadn't been until recently that he had made conscious of what exactly implied to be the king.

Honestly! Why so many people wanted the job? It sucked! There was so much work to do! The kingdom was not going to take care of itself – though personally Jareid thought it should – and it needed a number of services that had to be administered. Of course that the king didn't do everything, but he had to be aware of the most important things, and he had the final decision on anything that required his attention. A lot of power, with a lot of responsibility to make it company.

Jareid huffed and decided to make a quick job of the pile of paper. He had to see the commander later on to talk about some promotions. He sighed and focused on the report in his hand. He had to do a good job, after all, it wouldn't do for him to be lazing about while his mate was training really hard.

* * *

Tygra got his head out of the river and breathed, trying not to swallow water in the process. Then he ducked his head again and continued fighting against the current. He was close. Just a few more strokes and he'd have reached the rock where his teammate was waiting. The force or the current threatened to smash him against the rocks, and the net he was carrying was heavy. He had been close to lose it a couple of times, and he shouldn't let that happen.

His legs and arms propelled him forward two more times, and he reached his destination. He barely pulled the net out of the water when Xora grabbed it and suddenly the extra weight was gone and Tygra could move easier and get a safer grip on the rock. He breathed deeply and took some moments to rest. Xora had already left the rock and Tygra could barely see his head among the rapids. They were against the clock, so he better hurry.

Training in the river was one of the things that Tygra loved the most, especially on very hot days. The first times some of his teammates had been concerned that his experience with Bali almost drowning him would become a handicap. A few had actually expected him to be afraid of the water. Tygra had thought it ridiculous. Sure, someone had attempted to murder him, and he had been too close to drown for comfort, but it hadn't been the water's fault. The river certainly had not been the one to attack him, so Tygra didn't see why he should be afraid.

Soon, he had shown his teammates that he was as good in the river as he was in everywhere else, and the jaguars had ceased to worry about him. Though Tygra still suspected that they had been more worried about Jareid's possible retaliation if something happened to him, than for his security.

Once rested and breath recovered, Tygra ducked into the water once more and swam towards the shore. The rest of his group was waiting for him, and trainer Kab gave him his time. He was glad to see he had managed the shortest time until then. There was nothing else to do but wait for his teammates to finish.

* * *

As soon as he was free from the training, Tygra looked for his brother. It was dawn already but Tygra was sure that Lion-O would still be outside the palace. He found him with Yeana, apparently helping her, or trying to, with her arts' work. The little jaguaress loved to draw and paint, and she took her lessons very seriously. She had been trying to draw Lion-O and Snarf, but the pet wouldn't stay put long enough for her to draw him. Now that Snarf was asleep among the bushes, Yeana was taking her chance.

Lion-O was looking as she worked diligently. Tygra sat down close to his little brother, and leaned against a tree.

"Hey tyke. How you doing?"

"Ty! I haven't seen you eat since yesterday! Is everything fine?" The lion asked worried. Tygra smiled at him.

"I'm fine. I've been eating, just not at the table with everyone else."

Lion-O pouted at him, and then he went back to watch Yeana draw. He had a book on his hands, but he had stopped paying attention to it some time ago.

Tygra looked at Yeana for a moment. The girl was a sweet. Really quiet and shy when she was meeting new people, more active and talkative once she got used to you. She was always very proper in front of the adults, but Tygra had seen her playing with Lion-O or other kittens her age, and run about, and climb trees, and getting as dirty as everyone else. She had helped Lion-O to find friends his age, and Tygra could see that his brother was growing fond of her.

The tiger thought about the last part and considered his brother once more. Friends. Here, in Ix-Maal, Lion-O had friends his own age. There had been no more kittens in Thundera's palace. Lion-O had always had only Tygra to play with, because he hadn't been allowed to get out of the palace's grounds and mingle with the citizens. It was not a wonder that he had felt rejected when Tygra had started to ignore him.

The tiger sighed. His brother, heir to Thudera's crown, had been a very lonely kit.

Yeana finished her drawing, puffing in annoyance because there wasn't enough light for her to put more effort into it. The garden's lamps had turned on, but artificial light was only a palliative. It didn't give the same brilliance as the sun. The girl showed her work to the two brothers. Lion-O told her it was great. Tygra looked at the nine-year-old's drawing and smiled in amusement. The ears were too large, and the tail short and thinner than it should be. The drawing resembled more some kind of rodent than a snarf, but Tygra told Yeana that it was very good. The girl ran happily towards the palace to show it to her mother, leaving the siblings alone.

Lion-O picked Snarf up. The pet yawned, and continued sleeping on his owner's arms. The lion chuckled and then turned towards his big brother.

"You want to tell me something. You have _that_ look."

Tygra raised his eyebrows and smirked.

"Something's in my mind, yes." Then he sighed and looked towards the castle for a moment. "Tell me Lion-O, if I found a way to get back home, permanently, to cancel the treaty, would you be ok with it?"

Lion-O stared at him for a few seconds. Then a scowl formed on his young forehead.

"You mean, getting back to our old lives? In Thundera, with no contact whatsoever with the jaguars?"

Tygra was about to nod, but paused. He frowned in thought and finally shrugged.

"I don't think that's possible. Now that we have started contact of sorts I think that father should stay in touch. He should see that Thundera could benefit a lot from the jaguars' technology. It'd be foolish to cut all ties with them." He paused again, and sighed. "Though I'm sure he'd be wary to let us stay in touch with them, at least for a while."

Lion-O bit his lip and looked down, thinking about it. After a couple of minutes, he raised his eyes.

"Would you be angry with me again?"

Tygra frowned in question.

"Angry with you? Why should I be?"

Lion-O shrugged and looked at Snarf.

"You know, because I got to be king. Even when I am not the best choice for it."

Tygra groaned. If he ever went back to Thundera he might have to do severe damage to a couple of people there. Grune came to mind. The sabretooth had been one of the most vocal in his dislike for Lion-O's heritage. It was good that the general had been sent away in a mission. Lion-O continued, a bit aghast by his brother's silence.

"I just don't want you to resent me, and start avoiding me again. I don't want the crown Tygra, I prefer to have my brother with me, like you have been here. Maybe now that the Sword of Omens is in Baal's possession I can renounce to my right to the crown and give it to you? That'd make you happy?"

Tygra stopped Lion-O and held him close to himself.

"No Lion-O, don't think that way. You'd be a great king, even Jareid mentioned it once."

A sniff escaped Lion-O's nose, and he let Snarf go to hold onto his brother.

"You think so?"

"Of course. I promise you Lion-O, no matter where we are, I'd always be at your side. Ok?"

Lion-O nodded and felt reassured. After a while they let go of each other, and Lion-O stood up. Snarf had woken up and started to trot towards the building.

"It's ok if we go back Tygra. If it makes you happy, I'd back you up. We only have to make sure to not lose contact. Both kingdoms would be unstoppable if we cement an alliance, don't you think?"

Tygra smiled.

"I'm sure of that."

Lion-O beamed at his brother and ran after Snarf to get some diner.

Tygra watched him go. Some steps away the lion turned back to see if his brother was following him and frowned. The tiger promised to catch up in a minute and Lion-O rolled his eyes, but continued his way.

Tygra was pensive for a while. He had spent a good part of the day trying to sort out his feelings. At the end he had focused on his talk with Bengali, and now he added his brother's words and fears into the mixture.

He could simplify his dilemma to two options, based on how Ben and Lion-O saw things. He could either stay in a city that was not his home, but where he was needed, in a strange sort of way, and where his brother was happy, or try to go back to a home where everyone wanted him to be the king, but no one would allow him to try for it.

Tygra huffed and stood up. Now, he only needed to add what _he_ thought about it, and maybe clear out what _he_ wanted.

* * *

Jareid entered the bedroom with the firm intention of going to hunt Tygra down if the tiger wasn't there already. He was done with letting his mate have "space". They were talking now!

Tygra was getting out of the changing room in a pair of blue boxers, and stared at him for a moment before sighing and walk towards the bed. Jareid took that as a sign of his mate's calmer mood. Perhaps he would be more receptive and willing to agree to what Jareid wanted. The jaguar prince didn't like to be denied something, but he was willing to negotiate with his mate if that would make the tiger happy. He didn't like the idea of been at odds with his mate.

He got rid of his clothes quickly and joined Tygra in the bed. The teen had lied down on his side, without bothering to cover himself with the sheet. Their combined body heat was already more than enough for the warm night.

Jareid lied at the tiger's side and embraced the smaller form from behind. He knew that Tygra was awake and he was not going to endure the silent treatment anymore. They needed to talk.

"Are you still upset with me my tiger? Come on, talk to me. I really want to talk this through with you."

Tygra sighed and hugged himself. One of Jareid's arms covered his and he closed his eyes for a few seconds, breathing in the scent of his mate. Jareid was getting impatient and was about to prod again when Tygra finally spoke in a soft voice.

"You broke me. You know that, don't you? You broke me, and then put me back together again. Only I was not the same anymore."

A hand caressed his cheek and Jareid's arm tightened his hold.

"My little tiger…"

Tygra gave a sharp intake of breath and bit his lip. He had never before acknowledged out loud what Jareid had done to him to his face.

"I'm ruined. You ruined me for everyone but you. I won't ever be able to be with anyone else… to forget…"

A sob escaped him, and he covered his mouth with a hand. Jareid turned him over his other side to face him. Tygra's fist suddenly came up and hit Jareid's chest with force repeatedly. Jareid growled, but didn't stop his mate. He didn't' let go of the other's body either. He kept Tygra close, and after a few punches the tiger was in tears.

"You hurt me! You. Hurt. Me!" He punctuated his words with his fists, and then sobbed. "I should want to leave." He said quietly between sobs.

Jareid's chest rumbled, but he managed to restrain himself. His mate was in distress, and he was the cause of it. He remembered his talk with Bengali and the shaman's parting words. He surrounded the quivering young body with his arms and promised himself that he'd make it up to Tygra. Somehow he was going to make up for the pain he had caused to his mate, and that was still hurting him.

He started to work on the teen's scalp, precisely at the spots he knew would calm the tiger. He groomed the back of the soft ears and kissed his mate tenderly. Tygra gave a quiet sob.

"… 's not fair… you shouldn't know how to soothe me… I shouldn't let you… It shouldn't feel good…"

"Sshh… my little tiger."

Jareid kissed the teen's temple again, and continued his caresses.

"I'm sorry my tiger. I'm so sorry I hurt you in such a way. Never again my tiger. I promise you, never again."

Little by little the sobs receded and Tygra fell into a calm slumber. He was in the edge of consciousness, but he still heard Jareid's words.

"Stay with me Tygra. Please stay. I promised I'd never leave you. Let me fulfil my promise."

Tygra sighed, more asleep than awake. He didn't feel coherent enough to answer. He let Jareid's hands lull him into dreamland instead.

* * *

It smelt of Jareid. That was the first thing that Tygra's mind grasped upon returning to consciousness. His first response, purely by instinct, was to cuddle closer to the bigger body beside him and burrow his nose in the jaguar's fur. It took a few more moments for him to fully wake up and realize what he had done. He sighed in defeat. It had taken some time for his instinct to identify Jareid as his mate, but now that the step was taken, his unconscious mind was not going to let go.

Tygra opened his eyes just a little bit and breathed deeply. He felt warm and safe in Jareid's arms. His instinct was screaming '_mate_' at him and purring in contentment. This was what he had missed the previous morning, the first one in months that he had woken up alone, and the sensation of safety had been solely absent. His conscious mind had not realized it at the moment, but he had felt that something had been missing. He closed his eyes again and just let himself feel.

Jareid grunted and his hands started to move all over Tygra's back, letting the tiger know that he was awake. The jaguar mumbled something unintelligible and then a paw found Tygra's boxers and fumbled a bit before inserting itself under them. Jareid growled in annoyance.

"… don't like you wearing this in bed…"

Tygra whimpered, and then sighed. Sometimes it seemed that Jareid had only one thing in mind.

He waited until he was sure that the jaguar was lucid enough and then he moved backwards. His mate put one hand on his hip to prevent him from getting too far. The older prince caressed his cheek with his knuckles and then licked his lips. Tygra didn't look up, but he didn't try to get away either.

"Tygra?"

"Why me?" The young prince asked. Jareid's hand stopped and he raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry?"

"I just… I just want to know why you want me." He looked at Jareid then, directly to his clear blue eyes. "I mean, you're the heir, and you're gonna be king someday. You could have anyone you wanted. So, why me?"

Jareid sighed and leaned down enough to brush Tygra's forehead with his lips.

"Infuriating little cat."

He kissed the youth, and backed off a bit to look at the tiger's face again.

"If I can have anyone I want, why not you?"

Tygra scowled and looked away shrugging. Jareid pulled him against his body again, and caressed his back.

"Very few cats have managed to make me feel anything besides contempt and disgust. They want honours and position, and they think that they could have that if they get close enough to me. You know, they say that I don't care about the welfare of others, but why should I? They certainly don't care an inch about me. They want a king. Nothing else."

Tygra positioned his head on the juncture of Jareid's neck and shoulder. The jaguar's cheek brushed against his forehead.

"You don't want a king. That's why you only see me. Why you can know me. A mate. Not a king."

Tygra sighed and closed his eyes for a few seconds. Deep inside he could feel Jareid's unique loneliness. A longing that didn't really know what was missing.

He let some moments pass by, knowing that he had already made his choice. He prayed it was the right one, because there was no going back after this.

"I'll have our cub."

Jareid paused and then moved to look at Tygra's face.

"But I want to ask something of you."

The jaguar kissed him tenderly, barely a brush of the lips.

"Whatever you want my tiger."

Tygra's eyes hardened. His voice was dead serious at that moment.

"I want to take my cub to Thundera. So my father can meet his first grandchild."

Jareid stared at him. Tygra held his look firm. He knew that the jaguar loathed the very thought of sharing him in any way, but he was not renouncing to his home and family. Not completely at least. Finally Jareid nodded and put a hand on the back of the tiger's head.

"I'd take you both to visit. As soon as you both are able to travel."

Tygra's eyes brightened and he gave Jareid a sincere smile. The jaguar kissed him again, this time more possessively. Tygra let him, and even returned the kiss, feeling oddly at peace with himself.

* * *

Later on the day, after training, Tygra sat in an office in the shamans' wing, asking himself how exactly he had ended up having a, rather embarrassing, talk with Bengali on how a male went about having cubs with another male. From all the technical words you could think it was all very impersonal and cold, unless you were actually considering going through it. _Then_ it was intimate and scary.

He looked up at Jareid pleadingly. He had agreed to do this, but now he was having second thoughts.

"Do I really have to do this? Females already have all the necessary parts to carry cubs to term. Why are you so against asking someone to do this for us?"

Part of the procedure was to surgically insert an artificial womb in Tygra's abdominal region, so they could implant the embryos that would grow inside his body. The tiger didn't like the idea. He'd rather avoid having any part of his anatomy changed, be it internal or external. Besides, it was not without danger. They'd have to inject certain hormones in him on a regular basis for his body to accept the strange addition and maintain it for as long as the pregnancy lasted. If Tygra's body rejected the womb, it could retaliate aggressively and make itself very ill trying to get rid of the foreign part. Not to mention that a male's body was not prepared to deal with all the metabolic changes that a pregnancy implied. The stress was going to be considerable.

Jareid clenched his fists and his lips formed a tight line. Bengali could see that the jaguar was making an effort to rein on his anger, and decided to turn it against himself before it exploded on Tygra.

"There are some cases when that is advisable. Not everyone can handle the physical and emotional stress that it implies…"

Of course Jareid rounded on him immediately, taking the few steps required to be face to face with him and growling. Tygra stood up in alarm, but Ben made a gesture with his hand, indicating him to not move. The white tiger could handle Jareid, as long as the jaguar wasn't in a murderous rage.

"Tygra is perfectly capable to handle it! He's strong enough!"

"This is not only muscle strength we're talking about. His body is going to react to the change, and if it doesn't take it well it could be dangerous."

He was more worried about the mental strain it would put on Tygra. The orange tiger could handle an assassination attempt against him without batting an eye, but take his brother away and he was a mess. He was just recovering from a very hard emotional blow. They would have to be very careful with him, as hormonal treatment always caused havoc with emotions as it was.

Jareid continued growling, and Tygra decided to drag attention to himself again.

"Excuse me, but shouldn't I be the one to decide if I'm going through this or not? It's my body we're talking about here! You know?"

Jareid glared at him and hissed in anger.

"You can take it, and you agreed to this! We have a deal!"

"I said I will have a cub with you. And I will! As I understand from Bengali's explanation the cub will still be ours, even if someone else carries him. He won't have anything from his surrogate mother, only our traits. It won't mess with the pact because she wouldn't really be his mother."

"No! I'm not having it!"

Bengali grabbed Jareid's fist before it impacted with the closest piece of furniture.

"Calm down Jareid! Look, I know why you don't want a surrogate, but we have to test Tygra anyway, and if his metabolism is too unstable it'd be too dangerous for him to carry cubs."

The jaguar growled menacingly at both tigers and then turned around and started to pace along the office. Tygra gritted his teeth in annoyance.

"Just tell me why you don't want to consider it! I think it'd even be safer for the cub!"

Jareid just growled again, and Bengali sighed.

"That temper of yours needs to be taken down a bit Jareid. You're gonna kill yourself one of these days."

The jaguar ignored the admonition and continued his pacing. Ben shook his head and turned to Tygra.

"Well, at least he's not breaking anything. Let him cool off a little."

"I still don't understand why it's so important that we do this his way."

"He's stubborn. But besides that, while it's true that the cub would be yours, because the genetic material we'd use is going to be from only you two, there's also the fact that a female bonds emotionally with any cub she carries, be it hers or not. Instinct just doesn't know the difference. And it's instinct that urges a female to protect the cub inside her. When the cub is born, she'd feel compelled to keep it out of range from everyone for a couple of days.

"Also, the cub makes its own bonding. It associates the sound and rhythm of its mother's heart with safety and comfort. He has several months to memorize it. It'd only take food from its mother for the first days, and would be very distressed if taken away from her too young. Many surrogate mothers have to stay with the family for years. The cubs end up more attached to the surrogates than to their biological parents. Jareid doesn't want that to happen. He wants a family with just you."

Tygra scowled and thought for a minute. He didn't want any cub of his to experience the trauma of loosing someone that he would have identified as a mother. He didn't remember much about his own early cubhood, nor did he remember his real mother, but he had been told that he had spent about two days without eating, and that he wouldn't stop crying at night. Claudus had been getting desperate. Fortunately the queen had managed to make him eat more and more, and he had bonded with her eventually. He also remembered his brother. He didn't know what Jaga had done to make Lion-O eat. He only knew that they had been very close to loose his brother along with their mother.

Jareid embraced his mate from behind, startling the young tiger. However, Tygra calmed when he realized that the jaguar's temper was back under control. Bengali looked at them for a moment before continuing talking.

"Also, you're no normal couple, you're going to be 'the Royal Couple'. If it comes to the point that you have to get a surrogate, you'd have to be very careful in choosing her. It'd be almost a given that she'd end up demanding to be acknowledged as consort, with all the privileges that it implies."

Jareid growled again and Tygra frowned. _That_ he didn't like. He knew that a consort didn't only mean another one who shared Jareid's bed. A consort was a position that held political and social power, besides a number of responsibilities within the palace. The tiger gritted his teeth. No one was going to use his cubs as an excuse to get a position. He had accepted the whole thing to have a family, not to provide a ladder for someone to climb up to a higher rank! He sighed, realizing that Jareid might had had a good point for not wanting a surrogate.

"Fine. I'd try it. But you better guarantee that whatever changes are made _will_ be undone at the end of this!"

Bengali smirked.

"Of course! No need to worry about that."

Jareid tightened his embrace and kissed Tygra's temple.

"You'd be fine my tiger. I'm going to be with you for the entire thing."

"Yeah, that's kind of worrying me. Are you going to be able to control your temper? I'd prefer to see the end of this thing in one piece."

Jareid chuckled and nibbled his ear.

"Infuriating little cat. I'd be in my best behaviour for you ok? I can't promise anything about the rest of the world though."

"Just please don't go all overprotective and jealous."

"Tygra, you're asking too much." Said Bengali with a chuckle. Jareid glared at him.

"No one asked your opinion!"

Bengali grinned unrepentantly. Tygra smiled. Deep inside he was terrified as hell and severely questioning his sanity. But he had made his choice, and he was going to stick by it.

* * *

The couple made an appearance that evening at the dining room. Tygra had hoped to have a quiet dinner. He didn't want to have to answer questions or explain his motives for his short absence from meals. Besides, he rather suspected that Baal had been informed of his every move for the two previous days, so the king shouldn't need to ask anything.

Unfortunately, Jareid was so happy that he just had to tell everyone about Tygra's willingness to have their first cub.

Baal was very pleased. He and Xilara congratulated the young couple and asked if he had already arranged everything with the shamans. Yeana squealed in delight at the thought of cubs. Lion-O was serious and regarded his brother with a bit of doubt, but Yeana's enthusiasm soon got to him, and he smiled at the girl's antics.

Baal was happy that his son had managed to counteract whatever the cleric had told Tygra. Claudus was not going to have one on him. If the lion wanted to see his sons he would have to make things Baal's way. No one would say that Baal had forced anyone. The two princes had chosen to remain away from Thundera, who was he to deny them?

Tygra was very embarrassed, but he accepted the congratulations and prayed for his brother to keep his mouth shut. He was in no mood to answer uncomfortable questions. Thankfully, Yeana took the lion's attention away with her exuberance. Tygra himself couldn't help but to smile at the girl's plans to play with her future nephews and nieces.

They finished diner rather quickly, and Jareid almost dragged Tygra towards their rooms. The tiger started to shiver in fear and anticipation. Jareid was a very physical cat, and it was like sex and violence were his only two outlets for absolutely everything. Tygra grudgingly accepted that he'd rather have the sex, though it often came with a fare share of aggressiveness. He was getting used to it, but some of the things that Jareid liked to do to him still caused him a great deal of conflict and embarrassment.

They stopped in front of a door that was just around the hall from their own. Tygra blinked at Jareid's sudden immobility and scowled in question. The jaguar smirked and with a movement of his head signalled towards the door.

"I haven't had the opportunity to show this to you. We have been rather busy with other problems. It's mean to be your mating gift."

Tygra raised an eyebrow and touched the controls for the door to open. He entered to an ample, empty room. There was a big window instead of one of the walls, and the tiger could see that there was a balcony at the other side. He turned to look at Jareid in wonder.

"This is yours. You can furnish and decorate it as you want. Your own private space for when you want to be apart from the world. And look…"

Jareid walked to the opposite wall from the entrance and pressed something there, revealing another door. Tygra poked his head and saw it lead to Jareid's study. He looked around again to be certain that the new room was still there. Jareid's arm rested on his shoulders and he felt a kiss on his head.

"Do you like it my tiger?"

Tygra nodded and licked his lips. His own room. Maybe it didn't look like such a big deal, but it was important for him.

"Yes. Yes, I do. Thank you, I… I really appreciate it."

He suddenly looked at Jareid shamefully.

"I… I'm sorry, I didn't…"

Jareid pulled him into a heated kiss and groped his buttocks. Tygra gasped and tried to hold on to Jareid's arms. The jaguar only moved his hands and grabbed the tiger's wrists, pulling them at the youth's back. He held them there with one hand, while with the other he pulled at Tygra's mane, exposing the teen's neck and attacking it. Tygra moaned helplessly, and Jareid licked the mark he had just made.

"You have already given me everything."

Another suck at his neck, and Tygra whimpered. Jareid was getting more excited, and the tiger didn't fancy to be fucked against a wall. It was uncomfortable.

"Uhn!… Jareid… bed… please…"

The jaguar growled and with a quick move picked up Tygra and swung the smaller body over his shoulder. Tygra yelled indignantly.

"Hey! I didn't tell you to carry me!"

A smack on his butt made him yelp and sunk his claws at the jaguar's back.

"Jareid!"

"Don't fret so much my tiger. You know you like it."

Tygra bit his lips and growled in annoyance. He didn't want to accept that Jareid was right. He liked it.

* * *

Lion-O lifted his practice sword as he stopped the blow from his opponent. He parried with all he had, meeting the other sword hit by hit. Eventually, the jaguar hesitated and left his guard open. Lion-O took his chance and with a quick move disarmed his opponent. He held the sword to the other's neck for a moment and then his trainer declared him the winner. Lion-O lowered the sword and grinned at the other kit, who huffed and smiled in return, shaking his head.

There were six kits in Lion-O's group. Himself, another four males, and a female. All of them were very good with the sword. Lion-O had been very nervous and shy at the beginning, and the kits had been distrustful of him. They hadn't even talked to him on the first day. The next time, Yeana had gone to the courtyards, looking for someone to play with. She had latched onto Lion-O, and then roped everyone into a game of tag. She had continued to do that for some days, engaging every kit she could find into her games.

Little by little, the other kits had grown used to Lion-O's presence, and had started to talk to him. His group of training soon had included him into their own pastimes, and invited him to go exploring. The training had become more enjoyable, and Lion-O had soon realized that he wasn't really bad at swordsmanship. Years of training with his brother had in fact given him an adequate development of his skills. So, when he had been put against someone his own age, and at par with his strength, the lion had found out that it wasn't so difficult to hold himself in combat. He had made significant progress along the year, and now he could start practicing with real weapons. He felt really proud of his achievement, but hadn't informed his brother any of it. Tygra had his hands full, and Lion-O was trying to do his best to not be a burden for him.

Now though, he needed to talk seriously with Tygra. Jareid's announcement had been a surprise for him. He would never have taken his brother for one willing to have cubs so young. He needed to make sure that the tiger was really ok with it. Besides, a consort would surely put strain in any relationship. Maybe Tygra was hoping to get rid of Jareid somehow, but Lion-O had been under the impression that his brother had not been on bad terms with his mate for a long time.

He was thinking on ways to approach the subject with Tygra when his friends interrupted him.

"Hey, Lion-O! Are you going to the town's festival with us tomorrow? It's Insha's and there's going to be music!"

"Sure. I just have to tell Xiao, and Yeana is going to want to go too."

"That's fine. She usually goes with her friends anyway. We'd see you at the gates after breakfast, ok?"

"Fine."

"Take care!"

Three kits ran out of the courtyard towards the gates. Two remained by Lion-O's side. The girl, called Mixa, who was the daughter of one of the councillors, and a black jaguar called Alux, the son of one of the generals. Both of them lived at the palace's grounds. Mixa soon said her goodbyes and went to find her mother. Alux walked with Lion-O into the halls of the palace.

"Listen Lion-O, I have a question that I really don't want to ask you, but my cousin Litha is bugging me non-stop, and frankly she's driving me crazy."

"Uh? Really? I don't think I've met your cousin?"

"You're not. And you're lucky. She's completely nuts and a total gossip. She wants to know about your brother, so she'd have something new to tell her friends."

Lion-O scowled.

"Well, I don't think I'd provide her any information at all."

"Look, I could care less, but she's really been a pain in the ass, and mother told me to just ask you what she wants so we can have peace."

The lion raised and eyebrow at his friend. Alux was usually quiet and very patient. His cousin must be very annoying to make him mad.

"What she wants to know?"

Alux sighed despairingly and shook his head.

"It's an idiocy. She'd know sooner or later anyway. She just doesn't want to wait. She wants to know if our prince has decided when to have a heir, and if your brother would agree to a consort to get it or not."

Lion-O pressed his lips and growled. He didn't like the young court gossiping about his brother.

"What does she care? That's certainly not her business!"

"I know! I told you, she's just a gossip. Personally, I think she wants to try her hand at the consort thing. She has a crush on your brother, and she thinks that they both surely look too yummy in bed together, you know when they…"

"Yick! Alux! That's my brother you're talking about!"

"Sorry." Said the jaguar sheepishly. "So?"

Lion-O gave a suffering sigh.

"Look, it's no one's business if they are thinking about an heir or not. And no one had mentioned anything about consorts yet."

Alux shrugged noncommittally.

"Well, I only had to ask you. She can't say I didn't try. Hopefully she'd look for information elsewhere."

"Just tell her to leave it alone!"

The jaguar chuckled.

"You don't have much experience with females, do you? Anyway, I'd see you tomorrow."

Lion-O huffed indignantly at his friend's comment, but he said his goodbyes politely. Alux went through the hall that would lead him to the nobles' private apartments, and Lion-O continued his way to the Royals'. However, he hadn't advanced far when he heard excited chatter coming from one of the rooms. His curiosity got the better of him and he stopped close to the open arch to one of the spaces meant for salons. Two women were talking with more than a little enthusiasm. Lion-O could distinguish one of the servants and a noble.

"So, are you sure about it Xani? He is finally sleeping in his own room?"

"Prince Jareid asked for the craftsman. He is supposed to come tomorrow to see what prince Tygra wants. What else could he be furnishing?"

"May the spirits hear you! It's about time! I knew the brat wouldn't keep him interested for long. Have you heard anything about possible consorts?"

"No Ma'am…"

Lion-O stopped listening and hurried to the Royal apartments. He found his brother on his way there, surprisingly with Snarf riding on his shoulder.

"Lion-O! You better keep track of this pet of yours. Someone almost shot him in the training!"

Snarf gave a pathetic mew and Lion-O extended his arms to him. The pet jumped and purred at his owner.

"Snarf! You know you aren't supposed to wander into training camp!"

Snarf mewled again and looked chastised. Tygra rolled his eyes.

"Trainer Kab suggested putting him a collar. That way others could identify him as a pet and not a wild critter. There are some special ones that will protect him if he likes to go exploring the jungle."

"Oh. Well, he has never liked collars. But I think he'd have to get used to it."

Snarf lifted his head and mewled in protest.

"I'm sorry Snarf. I don't want you shot and prepared for someone's diner."

The pet made an unhappy sound and rested his head on Lion-O's shoulder. The boy petted him lovingly. Tygra smirked at the scene.

"Now that's settled, we should be heading to our rooms. It's getting late."

Lion-O nodded and followed his brother to their side of the apartments. They needed a shower before going to dinner, but before that he wanted to ask his questions. Thankfully Tygra made things easier for him.

"Come, I want to show you my new room."

Lion-O looked earnestly at the door his brother was opening. It was close to Jareid's entrance. That calmed his fears a bit. If they were staying close the rift couldn't be so bad. Still, the fact that there _was_ another room for his brother didn't sit well with him. He had the uncomfortable feeling that it was like dismissing the tiger.

The room was big, and it was still empty. The first thing Lion-o noticed was the huge window and the balcony. He put Snarf on the floor and wandered around.

"So… is this because you want your own space?"

Tygra grinned, and his eyes actually sparkled with joy.

"Yes, I'm planning on having my study here, and combining it with a nice reading space, like a sitting room."

Lion-O was happy to hear that. His brother was not moving out of his shared bedroom after all. That concern put to rest, he moved on to the other one.

"I like the view." He offered. Tygra beamed.

"It is good. Maybe you can help me to choose the furniture. I'm supposed to see the craftsman tomorrow."

"I'd love to, but I'm going to the festival with my friends. I'm not sure what time I'd be back."

"It's ok. Yeana had been talking about the musicians for weeks now. I'm sure she's gonna want to go too."

Lion-O nodded absently. He wanted to ask his brother about his decision to have cubs, but he didn't know how he could start. He decided to use what Alux had told him.

"You know Tygra, Alux's cousin is asking strange things."

The tiger raised an eyebrow at his brother.

"Who's Alux's cousin?"

"I don't know." Said Lion-O shrugging. "Some noble girl. Anyway, she wanted to know if you'd agree to a consort."

Tygra scowled.

"I?"

"Yes." Lion-O nodded enthusiastically. "You see, she has a crush on you, and apparently she finds you and Jareid 'yummy'."

Tygra blushed bright red, and Lion-O chuckled. He had complained to Alux for putting images in his head, but there was no reason why he shouldn't tease his own brother with them. The tiger groaned in mortification.

"For all the…! I'm not 'yummy'! Damn jaguars!"

Lion-O sobered after a few seconds of laugh, and followed his brother out of the new room. They had to get ready for diner.

"Well, and what about the consort part?" Lion-O wanted to know. Tygra sighed.

"Look, I really have no say on that. Jareid is the one who can choose a consort, if he wants one. Which he swears he doesn't. I'm starting to think that he might be serious on that."

Lion-O frowned. Something wasn't adding up.

"But… I thought he wanted cubs, and that you had accepted. Was that only a general agreement? I had the impression that he meant to have an heir soon."

Tygra was blushing again, deeper this time. He coughed discretely and looked everywhere but at Lion-O.

"Yeah, uhm, well he does want it to be soon. It has to be soon in fact. It's a requirement for the pact."

Lion-O looked at his brother in confusion.

"A requirement? How?"

"Well… is just that every alliance between clans require an heir from the mating. That'd make the alliance true. And because of the ritual we performed, we only have a year to produce a cub."

Lion-O lifted an eyebrow and thought about the implications.

"O…K… But… that means you both have to choose a consort. An heir can't be born outside the pride."

"Mmmph… There's actually no need for a consort."

Lion-O frowned. He was not following his brother's reasoning. Two males needed a female to give them cubs. They had to form a pride. There was only one other option that he could think about.

"You mean you can adopt? Would the cub be considered an heir then? He won't have Jareid's blood, or yours."

"No, I…" Tygra was very embarrassed. He didn't know how to explain. "Look, it's something to do with technology. Biotechnology in fact."

"Oooh, that's what the shamans use for medicine, and some surgeries!"

"Yes! Precisely. Erm… You see, there are ways for two males to have cubs."

Lion-O listened in growing concern as his brother explained what had to be done. At the end he looked at Tygra with big eyes.

"That sounds dangerous. Are you sure you want to do it Tygra? Why not choose a carrier? Sounds much more sensible."

"Well, besides the fact that Jareid is not the embodiment of sensibility, or reason mind you, I really doubt we can find someone who's not just looking for improving her standing in the court. If I were going to give a mother to my cubs, I'd prefer she really cares for them. I don't want anyone using my cub to obtain favours or position."

Lion-O nodded. He understood the reason, but still didn't like it.

"Are you sure you're gonna be ok?"

"I'd be fine. No need to worry about me. Bengali and the High Shaman are going to be in charge of the entire procedure. Ben would stop it if things get out of hand."

Well, that was something. Lion-O would have to talk with the white tiger to be sure that his brother was in no danger. He got closer to Tygra before going ahead to his own room to have a shower.

"Ok. You'd let me help if anything is wrong, wouldn't you? I'm your brother."

"Sure tyke."

Tygra smiled. Somehow he felt a little bit better that Lion-O was worrying about him, and not accusing him and telling him he was mad. He felt reassured in an emotional way. If his little brother supported him, his choice might not be so bad after all.


	12. Chapter 12

**WARNINGS:** This contains Slash, and abuse, as well as mpreg. It is dark and treats themes only for mature audience. Do not read if you don't like it.

***Disclaimer:** I don't own Thundercats, or any character or event associated to it, and I'm not making any money from this fiction.

**CHAPTER 12. Doubts and Changes.**

Bengali examined the results from the tests they had applied to Tygra with a deep frown. Apparently everything was in order, the only peak in the hormonal chart was for the adrenaline, and that was due to Tygra's anxiety. It could be easily controlled and not a dangerous issue. The High Shaman was at his side, nodding in approval.

"Good. He has a strong constitution. There should be no problems. Though I'd have preferred that he wasn't so young. This is going to have some effects on his growth, and we'd also have to be prepared for every eventuality we can think of. As his body is still developing it is bound to react to the major changes we have to make. We could have serious complications."

Bengali sighed. It was too soon for Tygra, but they had to try it.

"Wouldn't it be better if we convince prince Jareid to find a carrier."

"I sincerely hope we wouldn't have to do that. It'd be better for their relationship if Tygra carries the cub. As it is, they are still struggling with each other. A rift between them is the last thing we want. But you have been closer to them for this long. You should be able to tell us if a consort is advisable at this time."

Ben shook his head in denial. As painful as the whole ordeal had been for Tygra, he knew that throwing another into the mixture would only make things worse.

"No. It'd definitely be the end of the tentative comfort they'd found. I believe that Tygra would be devastated, even if he himself doesn't know it. And Jareid could regress to his previous behaviour."

"So, we are going to do everything we can for this pregnancy to be successful. They only need one cub. We're going to be specially careful with Tygra and keep him stable, as much as we possibly can."

Bengali nodded. It was going to be rough for the young tiger, but he had a healthy physiognomy and good stamina. He could make it.

* * *

Tygra surveyed his new room with satisfaction. The desk was beside the window, and there was a screen with a keyboard, a machine that he had found really useful for data storage. Opposite to the desk were two bookcases and a brand new puff. He had originally considered moving the one he had in the bedroom, but he hadn't wanted to loose that particular spot. So he had decided to get another one for his private domain.

On the other part of the room was a large couch that covered one corner. Snarf was happily making himself at home there, having already found a way to get into the room. Tygra was still baffled that his brother's pet had managed to find a way to open the sliding doors. He had had to accept that the critter was smarter than he had believed it to be.

The tiger shook his head and looked at the room at large again. It wasn't finished. After some more pieces of furniture it still had to be decorated somehow, though Tygra didn't think that'd be absolutely necessary.

He looked at the last piece that had arrived that morning. It was called a stereo, and it could play music. There was one in the dinning room that they listened to every day, and Lion-O had suggested Tygra to have one. The lion teen had been completely over the moon talking about it. Tygra chuckled at the memory and decided to test the contraption. He went quickly over the instructions and looked at the selection of music that the thing had to offer. He turned it on and fumbled a bit with the buttons, but eventually he got the machine playing some kind of soft flute music. He grinned at his success and sat heavily on the couch, avoiding Snarf and closing his eyes to relax a bit.

It had been a hard day, starting with his extremely embarrassing appointment with Bengali. He and Jareid had given their ejaculate sample for the Shamans to start the procedure, and it had had to be fresh. Of course Jareid had had no problems with that, but Tygra had had a very hard time trying to get off in an antiseptic room, knowing that Bengali was at the other side of the door. It might have been easier if he had gone alone, but with Jareid there, and insisting on helping him, the whole thing just had made Tygra want to die.

Then, Bengali and the High Shaman had given them the date for his surgery, which he was not looking forward to. He had had to remind himself that he had chosen to do this and that he was not going to get cold feet at the last minute.

After he had escaped the shamans he had gone to confirm with the craftsman the date that the last of the furniture would be delivered. Finally he had spent the rest of the day training in the jungle, and lieutenant Kab had questioned him about his oncoming surgery.

Tygra hated the fact that his training would be put on hold for as long as the High Shaman deemed necessary. What was he going to do? He'd die of boredom!

He was questioning his sanity for the millionth time when there was a knock at the door.

"Enter." He said lazily.

The door opened and Jareid came in. He looked around quickly and gave a nod of approval before sitting down at Tygra's side.

"Still not finished?"

"No. The other couch is due in two days, and the table and the cabinet in three. Though I think the craftsman is still waiting for me to ask for a bed."

Jareid growled. Tygra had asked him on the first day he had seen the craftsman why the cat had come with his mind set on furnishing a bedroom. The jaguar prince had been pretty annoyed, realizing that the gossip of the palace had centred on Tygra's new room. Some cats had believed that they would be sleeping in separate bedrooms, and so the craftsman had been told about it, and he had been expecting to provide adequate furniture. Of course, Jareid had been quick to erase that belief from the cat's mind. Tygra wasn't sleeping anywhere away from him. The jaguar prince had made sure that the service wouldn't be spreading that particular rumour any longer.

"He'd better not been trying to convince you."

"I think that you were pretty clear in your displeasure the first time. He hadn't say anything. I just think that the idea is still in his head."

"Well, he'd better forget it already."

Jareid moved quickly. He took hold of Tygra's hips and practically lifted the teen from the couch to sit him on his lap. Tygra yelped and tensed. He hated that Jareid always took him by surprise. He was now facing the jaguar, thighs open apart resting at both sides of Jareid's waist, and his hands firmly on his mate's shoulders. All of his muscles remained tense while his brain caught on with the new position. Then he glared to the jaguar and refused to relax.

"Jareid!"

The bigger cat smirked at him, and the hands that were on his hips started to make their way under his clothes.

"You're not going anywhere. It took me too much time to convince you of that fact. I'm not letting any silly rumours ruin my efforts!"

Tygra blinked in confusion, but quickly realized that Jareid was talking about sleeping arrangements. He rolled his eyes and huffed.

"You're just obsessed with me, and I have no idea why. That can't be good, you know? You gave the service the scare of their lives just because they misunderstood a simple situation. You should have more control than that."

Jareid chuckled and his hands caressed Tygra's flanks. The teen moaned despite himself and gritted his teeth.

"Uhn… Damn it Jareid! I'm trying to be serious here!"

"I don't see the point. You want to relax, just do it. Leave the serious scolding to Bengali. Right now it's not your problem."

Tygra wanted to protest, but Jareid's hands on his torso, poking at all the right places, were very distracting. He growled under his breath as Jareid reached for his scalp and massaged. Tygra finally gave up and relaxed in his mate's arms, allowing the jaguar free reign over his body. Soon, Tygra was practically lying on Jareid's chest, arms loosely around the jaguar's torso and head resting on one broad shoulder. Jareid was smirking in satisfaction.

"You have too many clothes on…" He started. Tygra growled menacingly.

"Don't you dare!"

Jareid chuckled, but didn't press. He felt too comfortable at the moment, and there really was no need to do more. One hand started to massage Tygra's lower back in circles, and the teen sighed in contentment.

"This is absolutely unfair." He muttered quietly.

"Mmm?"

"I should be allowed to turn _you_ into a heap of mush too. Why are only you the one with the privilege?"

Jareid laughed in amusement, and he pulled playfully at one of Tygra's ears.

"Feisty little tiger."

Tygra groaned and burrowed his nose in the fur of Jareid's neck, breathing deeply.

"Can I bite you?" He asked suddenly with some apprehension.

Jareid tensed under him, and Tygra bit his lips, ready to apologize. What was he thinking? Jareid was the dominant. He did the biting, not the other way around.

Before he could utter another sound, Jareid relaxed, and his hand pressed Tygra's head against his neck. The tiger panicked for a second before he understood that Jareid was giving him permission to do what he had asked. He moved a bit to the side to position his mouth better and licked the chosen spot first. Jareid's chest rumbled, but he didn't move to stop Tygra. The youth gave another two licks before pressing his open lips against the exposed neck and suck.

The jaguar growled lowly and steady. Tygra's teeth barely grazed the skin. It was not really a bite. Tygra didn't dare to do more than suck deeply. Then he licked the light mark a few more times and rested his head against Jareid's shoulder again, sighing in relief. The hand on the nape of his neck started massaging once more and he began to purr.

"Happy now?" Jareid asked curiously. Tygra nodded minutely.

"A bit, yes… Thank you."

Jareid chuckled quietly and relaxed again. They stayed like that for a long time.

* * *

The jaguar prince touched the side of his neck for the hundredth time that morning, trying to not scratch. It just felt odd.

It wasn't as if he hadn't sported love bites or other marks before. He often had scratches all over his back and arms, a few bites too, and Tygra's claws sunk really deep when his tiger lost control. Many of his previous lovers had left him with a bite or two. But never on the neck.

The neck was a special place. It meant possession of a kind, a symbol of claiming and also trust. Jareid had never allowed anyone to bite him there, not even lick him. He had gone to sleep the previous night very conscious of the slight rearrange of power that had happened between his mate and himself. He was still mulling on it, trying to decide if he felt disgusted with the minimal change or not, and what he should do about it.

He arrived at the door of the room that he considered his office and opened absently. The study that was in his personal rooms was private. No one but a servant and Bengali entered his private quarters. He had an entire different set of rooms where he received people and attended whatever business was necessary. His 'office' was considerably smaller than his primary set of rooms, but it was decorated with all the opulence he could find. Only the finest materials for the furniture and rich tapestries on the walls, the best technology for the computer and stereo, everything pointing at his "show off" tendencies. People got sidetracked by what the room told them about its owner, and completely forgot to try finding out more about Jareid himself.

The jaguar prince crossed the receiving area and turned on the stereo, still absently. He needed to check on the reports of the royal guard, but he was too distracted to do anything. He stared at the computer screen for some moments before scoffing and turn towards the window.

Why was he there? He didn't want to work. He was too out of sorts to pay any attention to what he was doing. He needed to supervise a set of exercises that the younger members of the guard were going to do, but that wouldn't be until the afternoon. There was a meeting with his father and the Chief commander in the evening, but nothing for him to do at the moment except read reports.

Jareid frowned, remembering the reason why he hadn't stayed in his private study. One of the servants had used the communicator and had told him that someone was asking to see him, that it was very important. Jareid looked around the empty office, and a growl joined his scowl. He had not passed anyone on the hall; he had not been that distracted. Where then was that someone that had been supposedly waiting for him?

Forgetting his personal dilemma for the moment, he looked to his right, towards the tapestry that concealed the _other_ door. The tapestry had clearly been moved and the barest hint of an open door behind it could be seen.

Jareid growled louder in annoyance. He had had sex with many cats, males and females, but he had never taken anyone of them to the bed he now shared with Tygra. _His_ bed was meant only for his mate. He would not have dared to offer his mate sleeping quarters that smelt of others. It would have been the worst disrespect ever. His many casual conquests had never seen the inside of his private rooms. That was the reason why this other bedroom existed. The majority of the young court knew where it was, and also knew that he would receive anyone who was willing to 'play' at anytime.

The prince approached the concealed door and pulled the tapestry out of the way. Sure enough, there was someone on the bed, clearly waiting for him. He gritted his teeth. He had thought he had been clear when he had announced that he had a mate and dismissed every cat that had used to entertain him. Apparently, the message had not been clear enough.

"Saixa. What the hell are you doing here?"

The female, who was entirely naked on the bed, looked up at him with her olive eyes, her long blond mane falling over one shoulder. She had been one of his favourites, although too dominant for a female. It had been fun to fight her in bed, and win. She was not much for the submissive role, but was able to take Jareid's most aggressive behaviour without complaint. At least while the act lasted. She had been one of the firsts to ask him when he was going to choose a consort, and one of the firsts to be rebuffed. Jareid knew he had told her the same thing as all the others: '_I won't be needing your services anymore. You have no more reason to come here._' Were cats just stupid or what?

Saixa was the fifth cat, and the third female, to present herself in this way in his office. Jareid was seriously considering to just dismantling the bedroom. Saixa smiled lecherously at him and sprawled herself sensually along the bed.

"Why, waiting for you of course! Come on Jareid, you can't tell me that you haven't missed this."

Honestly, he could. He had his tiger. Tygra may not be experienced, and truly didn't act sensually around Jareid. He was young, still developing, and had too many emotional issues, but he was Jareid's mate. _His_. In the jaguar prince's mind that was all that mattered. Everyone else had been only entertainment, toys, to have fun and release his frustration. They had served their purpose. Jareid had never acknowledged them as partners, had never developed any kind of emotional connection with any one, they had never truly existed in his mind. Only Tygra was real.

The prince approached the bed and Saixa extended her arms to him. She eagerly clung to his neck as soon as he was within arms reach and kissed him passionately. Jareid was astounded for a moment. Then he scowled and growled. She didn't taste right. The smell was also wrong. His instinct recoiled in repulsion. This was not his mate. She didn't have his smell on her, not his mark of claim either. She was not good enough for him.

With a deeper growl, almost roar, that Saixa mistook for passion, he picked up the jaguaress and carried her outside the bedroom. The female laughed and tried to get her hands under his shirt.

"Oh, don't you want the bed Jareid? Are we playing in your study today?"

"No. You're out of here now!"

"What? You're not serious!" Said her incredulously, her playful tone dying.

"I'm very serious! I told you not to come back! I don't want any of you!"

"But, Jareid…!"

They reached the front door. The prince quickly opened it, and unceremoniously dropped the female on the hall. She yelled in outrage.

"How dare you! You can't dismiss me like this! I know many things about you Jareid!"

"So everyone else! Tygra included! So don't even think you can hold any information over my head!"

"You'd get tired of the boy eventually Jareid! You will! Sooner or later you're going to be looking for someone who can give you what you want!"

"I already found what I want Saixa, and I don't need what you have to offer anymore!"

He closed the door in her face, leaving her seething in fury.

"We'd see about that Jareid. We'd see!"

* * *

Tygra took a quick shower in the barracks. He was pretty upset that it had been his last day in active training. He was going to surgery the next day, and would be out of commission until the High Shaman considered that he could rejoin his normal activities.

The tiger sighed as he finished his shower. He was nervous about the surgery. Bengali had told him to relax and let the shamans do the worrying, but he couldn't do that. He couldn't stop thinking about a myriad of things that could go wrong. Why had he accepted to do this again?

He grunted and he started to get dressed. He was so worried that he didn't register the fact that someone was watching him. He just got his trousers on when he finally heard steps too close to him. He turned around and found himself face to chin with an older jaguar. He looked slightly up and blinked a few times before he recognized the feline. This was Mao. The one that was always complaining about Jareid choosing a partner that was not he. Tygra gave a step back and bared his teeth. He didn't like the other male so close to his person.

"What do you want?"

Mao made a gesture of derision and looked at the tiger up and down. Tygra felt his cheeks colouring.

"You have a good enough body, I'd give you that. But you're still a brat. What can he possibly see in you?"

Tygra growled and clenched his fists. How much longer he'd have to listen to people throwing his age in his face. As if he didn't already know that he was too young for Jareid! By the way some cats talked about it, you'd think that he'd never age past his adolescence!

"Not of your concern!"

"Well, I'd have to disagree with you. It's very much my concern!"

There was not much space to make a run for it. Before Tygra could think about getting the hell out of there, Mao advanced on him. Tygra tried to dodge, but the jaguar practically launched himself at his body and locked arms around the tiger's slender waist, pulling him down. Both cats struggled on the floor. Mao was older and stronger, but it took him a great deal of trouble to pin Tygra down like he wanted and grab the teen's jaw. Tygra was still struggling to free himself. He was about to hit Mao's face, when the jaguar forced his jaws open and kissed him.

Tygra froze at that moment. Panic and terror surged forward as Mao's tongue ravished his open mouth. The tiger's eyes widened and he stopped breathing. He couldn't think. Every one of his muscles stiffened and he just lied there in utter and complete shock. Mao ended the kiss and growled, making a show of spitting away in disgust. Tygra couldn't move. He couldn't even utter a sound.

"Pathetic. And you reek of fear. But Jareid has always been a bit of a sadist. He might be finding you entertaining enough for now. He'd get tired of you eventually. You're obviously just a weird fancy of his."

He got off Tygra and walked away. The tiger stayed where he was, incapable to do anything in the middle of his panic attack.

'_Breath… breath… he's gone… breath…'_

He sucked in a mouthful of air and started coughing. His tense muscles ached like he had spent hours swimming in the river. He turned on his side and curled into a tight ball. It took some moments for his brain to start functioning again and process what had just happened.

For the great Thunder. What was he doing? He wanted to bang his head against the wall. He had had a panic attack! Why?! He had frozen over! He had been completely useless and incapable of defending himself!

He started to shiver uncontrollably and he cursed every jaguar that had ever walked Third Earth. He kneeled up, and spit, and before he knew it he was biting his left wrist and drawing blood. The coppery flavour returned him some of his senses and he bit harder. The pain made him focus, and he sucked at the blood like he was thirsty. Anything, to erase the foul taste from his tongue.

* * *

Tygra washed his mouth furiously and spit the water on the sink. The taste was still there, but he was already convinced that his mind was playing tricks on him. He threw away the piece of cloth he had used to bandage his mauled wrist and that was already soaked in blood. He fumbled in the medicine cabinet for antiseptic and washed his wound methodically. He was just opening the bottle of antiseptic when Jareid came barging into the bathroom.

"Tygra, are you in here?" The jaguar prince stopped and sniffed the air. Tygra started to tremble. "Is that blood I smell?"

In two steps Jareid was over his mate, looking in surprise at the injured wrist. He took it in his hand to examine it, and Tygra flinched. Jareid was no shaman, but he recognized a bite wound when he saw it.

"Did you do this Tygra?"

The tiger lowered his eyes in shame. Jareid took the antiseptic and the bandages and dragged the teen out of the bathroom.

"By the spirits, I should take you to Bengali."

"No! Please, don't tell him, I'm fine!"

Tygra begged in panic. He didn't want to face the Shaman. He was ashamed enough as it was. Jareid looked at him accusingly.

"If you're biting yourself, you're obviously not fine! What happened?"

Tygra looked down again. He couldn't tell Jareid what had happened. He didn't want the jaguar to know that he had suffered a panic attack and had been unable to defend himself from one of Jareid's past lovers. He didn't want to say aloud that he had been lucky that Mao had been disgusted with him and had left him alone.

"Tygra?" Jareid prodded. He wanted an answer. Tygra had not harmed himself this badly in a while. The wrist was still bleeding a little and he had to make sure that there'd be no lasting damage. The tiger sighed in dejection.

"I just… I'm sorry. I'm too nervous because of the surgery, and today was my last in training for a while. I was upset, I didn't think what I was doing…"

He begged to every deity he knew that Jareid believed that. He couldn't tell his mate what had really happened. He just couldn't. Jareid would see how useless and pathetic he was. He didn't need to know.

The jaguar groaned and made Tygra sit on the bed. He cleaned the wound again, frowning at the ugly gash on it.

"This looks bad. You could have damaged a tendon. Bengali really should look at it."

"No! I'm fine, I swear! Please! At least not right now."

He wasn't naïve enough to believe that Bengali wouldn't notice his injury the very next day. He just wanted to calm down and had time to think a good enough excuse for the Shaman. Jareid didn't look happy, but he caved at the desperation in Tygra's voice.

"Fine. But you're the one that's explaining to him tomorrow why we didn't inform him immediately."

Tygra nodded, relieved that he didn't have to confront the white tiger right away. Jareid treated his wrist and bandaged it tightly. Then he looked seriously at his mate.

"You have to stop doing this Tygra. It's not healthy."

"I know. I said I'm sorry, I…"

He bit his lip and sighed. Jareid took his chin and made him look at his eyes.

"Everything is going to be fine. The High Shaman knows what he's doing. You're going to be asleep and wouldn't feel a thing."

For a moment there was confusion in Tygra's eyes, and then the teen remembered his own lame excuse for biting himself. He gulped and shook his head, so Jareid wouldn't look directly at him.

"I know. It's just that this is new for me. It feels so alien. I'm just afraid, that's all."

The last part wasn't a lie. He was afraid. He had been absolutely terrified to have Mao over him, forcing his mouth open. He shivered reflexively and closed his eyes. He felt ashamed of himself.

"I'm sorry." He finished quietly.

Jareid embraced him and moved his face up again. Lips closed over Tygra's mouth and Jareid's tongue was battling its way in. Tygra gasped. He opened mouth and eyes in reflex, trembling in fear. But the taste was the right one this time. This was his mate. He stubbornly put his racing heart under control and let Jareid manoeuvre them both to lie on the bed. Soon the kisses trailed down his jaw and ended with a suck to his neck. The tiger whimpered, holding onto his mate's shoulders for dear life.

"There's nothing to be afraid of. You're strong, and I'm going to be here with you. I'm never leaving you."

Gods. If that were only true.

"Please…"

He didn't know what he was begging for. It was very hard to think with Jareid over him. Expert hands started to rid him of his clothes and Tygra let his mate erase his worries for a short time, willing to forget.

* * *

Bengali was absolutely livid when he saw Tygra's mauled wrist. Jareid had been dismissed almost immediately with no regard for his protests, and the white tiger sat his patient on an examination table. Tygra was fidgeting in embarrassment as Bengali muttered under his breath and performed a more adequate healing spell for his wound. Once he felt satisfied that there hadn't been any irreparable damage he redressed the wound and looked directly at the young tiger in front of him.

"Do I even want to know what Jareid did this time?" He asked sternly. Tygra blinked twice in surprise.

"Jareid? No! I mean, this wasn't his fault. Honest!"

Bengali looked at him with incredulity and Tygra felt even more ashamed. With a sigh he lowered his eyes and told Bengali what had really happened. He had been wary to tell the truth, but had reasoned that Ben was not easily fooled. He would just prod until he knew what exactly had happened. There'd be less pain involved if Tygra confessed from the beginning. When he finished he kept his eyes down, fully expecting to be told that he had overreacted. Ben though kept silent for a moment before grabbing the teen's chin gently and push it up.

"Nothing else happened? He didn't hurt you?"

Tygra shook his head in negation. Bengali nodded.

"You didn't tell any of this to Jareid?"

Another negation, and Tygra's cheeks coloured a little.

"I told him I was too nervous because of the surgery. I didn't want him to know."

He felt ashamed, but Bengali messed his mane affectionately.

"It's ok. We'd leave it like that."

Truth was, Bengali was relieved. He didn't fancy to have to explain why the courtyards were littered with body parts. In this case it was better to keep Jareid in the dark. Tygra sighed dejectedly.

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again…"

"Hey, don't worry. This wasn't your fault. You were having a panic attack. That's not something you can control."

Tygra scowled uncomfortably.

"But… when I'm with Jareid I can. I'm able to push the panic back then."

"Well, that's a different situation. You have instinctually identified Jareid as your mate. Your dominant in fact. Besides, you once told me that he can distinguish the beginning of your panic attacks and help you in some way to get a hold of yourself. You're not alone against utter terror when you are with Jareid."

Tygra scoffed and shook his head incredulously.

"That's such a contradiction. Especially considering that he's the cause of the panic attacks in the first place."

Bengali smiled ruefully and put a hand on the youth's shoulder.

"The mind can be like that. I wish he hadn't done what he did, but wishful thinking is not going to help now. We must focus on what to do to minimize the risk of more panic attacks."

Tygra sighed and nodded. Ben's smile grew more honest.

"Good. I'm going to report Mao, so he would be watched."

Tygra's ears flattened.

"Wha… I don't think that'd be necessary. He didn't hurt me. He only took me by surprise. It was my body the one that overreacted."

Bengali silenced the teen with a serious look.

"Don't think like that Tygra. Regardless of your reaction, he had no right to approach you in that way. It was a direct threat. Such improper behaviour should be addressed in some way."

Tygra growled in frustration. He didn't want anyone to know what had happened. What would they think of him? They'd believe that he wasn't capable of take care of himself!

Bengali looked at the teen and put a hand on his arm.

"Don't worry. No one is going to think any less of you. I'd only report that I have seen Mao acting suspiciously around you, that way the Head of the Hunters is going to keep an eye on him. If he attacks you again there'd be someone close by to help if needed."

That erased some of Tygra's fears, but it didn't lessen the feeling of uselessness that had taken hold of him. He shouldn't need any help!

Bengali sighed and lifted his chin carefully.

"I know you feel upset over this, but Tygra you're still sixteen. No one is expecting you to solve every single one of your problems alone. You can rely on others. You can ask for help when you need it."

Tygra half smiled. He had grown up being the oldest. The best. The one that couldn't make a mistake. He had had to be an example for Lion-O. He was supposed to be the one to provide help, not ask for it. Forcing himself to accept Jareid as his dominant had been the hardest thing he had ever done. He nodded resignedly to Bengali, but felt the need to point out that he didn't want to be treated like a cub. Bengali smiled and told him that there would be nothing of the like.

"However, I'm moving your surgery for tomorrow." He said, as he unlocked the door of the clinic, so Jareid could enter again. Tygra made a face at him.

"Why? I'm fine. It's not a life-threatening injury!"

"I know, but we are taking every little precaution we can with you. I want you as relaxed as possible for this."

"You know, I'm not likely to ever relax if I have to wait longer."

"I agree with that." Said Jareid entering the clinic, a bit miffed that he had been left outside for more than a couple of minutes. "Seriously Ben, he doesn't need to be coddled. He's not a cub."

"I know he's not. But waiting another day is not going to hurt him. This is going to be a very delicate intervention and Tygra needs to be at his best physical condition. We are not taking any chances, however small they seem."

The couple scowled, not fully convinced. Ben smiled at their faces.

"Besides, it's a really nice day. I bet that Lion-O and Yeana would love to visit the pond. Nothing like a good swim to get relaxed! And I think Tygra has the day free anyway."

The orange tiger frowned, but Jareid smirked and grabbed his young mate's hand. He was not going to pass over a rather obvious hint to take Tygra out of the palace.

"I'm sure that the two brats would not mind if we leave them behind this time. Come my tiger. He's right, a long soak would do a lot of good to you."

Tygra tried to protest, but Jareid didn't listen to him. He dragged the young tiger out of the clinic, looking forwards to just spending the day with his mate.

* * *

Despite Jareid's intentions, Lion-O and Yeana caught the couple sneaking out of the palace and walking towards one of the gates that lead to the jungle. Of course they insisted on going too, and Yeana threatened Jareid with crying and not talking to him again if he didn't take her. Jareid growled menacingly at the kittens, but he ended up accepting theirs, and Snarf's, company. Tygra was amused at the pout on Jareid's face, which stayed for most of their walk through the jungle.

There was a system of caves about two miles to the northwest of the city. Going down through them ran a subterranean river. The waters flowered up on certain spaces and formed what the jaguars called 'cenotes', deep ponds of frigid water, usually found close to the caverns or even inside them. The entire place was considered sacred, and the shamans used to go there to meditate and practice certain rituals. What was called "The Pond" was actually the smallest of the cenotes, with only a hundred meters of diameter. It was some metres apart from the caves, and surrounded by vegetation. As it was technically at the surface, the water wasn't extremely cold, but still good to freshen up.

Both Lion-O and Tygra had loved the place from the first time that Bengali had taken them there. Tygra especially, as he absolutely enjoyed the water. As soon as they arrived, the two kittens barely waited to be out of their clothes and down to their underwear to dive in. Tygra and Jareid followed at a more sedated pace. Soon, all four of them were happily playing in the water, being watched from a tree by a skittish Snarf, who thought that he'd rather stay dry.

Lion-O spied Tygra's bandaged wrist and asked his brother what had happened. The tiger told him that he had hurt himself on his last day of training. Which wasn't a lie. He only wasn't very forthcoming with the details. Luckily Lion-O was having too much fun to continue pestering his brother, and he left the matter alone.

After a few hours, they ate the lunch that Bengali had sent them with one of the servants, and the two kits set themselves to explore a little before attempting to head right back to the water. Jareid took Tygra to a more open space where they could have a bit of practice. Tygra was not sure it was a good idea.

"I don't know Jareid, you always end up pushing me over the closest available surface and… well, you know…"

"Have my way with you?"

Tygra growled and blushed in mortification, nodding shamefully at the same time. Jareid's eyes sparkled and he took Tygra by the nape of the neck, forcing the tiger to look at his not so pleased smirk.

"Is that a problem my tiger?"

Tygra bared his teeth. He felt so helpless when Jareid manhandled him.

"It is when we're not alone. Lion-O and Yeana could hear us, maybe get curious."

Jareid's gesture became lecherous and he kissed Tygra before the teen could protest.

"They can look the other way. Besides, they are entertained enough, I doubt they'd come looking for us."

Tygra growled, but in the end caved to Jareid's wishes and took out his staff and whip from the backpack they had carried. He did want some exercise, and training with Jareid was not the horrible experience it had once been. Tygra still lost their impromptu combats, but he was getting better, and lasting more. Once he reached his full growth, he and Jareid would be evenly matched.

Tygra put himself on guard, and waited for the first blow. Jareid's favourite weapon was a sansetsukon, a three sectional staff made of wood and metal. He could do a lot of damage with it, and Tygra was very conscious that Jareid controlled his attack when they were training. The tiger compensated his lack of strength with agility. He had become proficient at using the whip to his advantage. Though he still had some difficulty coordinating both weapons, he was slowly developing his own combat style.

He started with only the staff, his whip within reach in the belt of his trousers. Jareid charged at him and Tygra jumped out of the way, turned around and delivered his own hit. The jaguar stopped it and released his weapon. Tygra used the trees to jump out of reach, and attack from above. There wasn't an ample space for him to manoeuvre, but Tygra had had a year to get used to the jungle and now he could fight in it decently. The closeness of the trees and abundant vegetation were no longer a hindrance for him, on the contrary, he had found out that he could use his whip creatively there. But he still found himself struggling in close combat, especially with Jareid. So, he tried to keep his distance, attack quickly and avoid being hit or having to stop a direct blow from the sansetsukon. If Jareid could get a hold of him, the game was over.

The jaguar followed his elusive mate up the trees and sent hits to the branches, trying to make Tygra loose his balance. The teen went down, but managed to turn and stop the sansetsukon from tangling around his leg. He used his momentum to pull himself back on another branch and hit Jareid's knees. The jaguar sent a blow aiming for Tygra's head. The youth ducked and sent his own hit.

They were at it for some time, until Tygra got out his whip and used it to swing from one tree to the other. Jareid attempted to hit him in passing, but Tygra was prepared. His whip let go of the branch and the tiger's staff collided with Jareid's weapon, tangling itself in it. The whip flew to another branch and Tygra pushed with all his strength. Jareid had to jump to the ground, but he recovered quickly and threw a blow that reached the tiger's arm. Tygra jumped down, and Jareid hit again. The youth barely had time to bounce and put the staff in front of him, at the same time he tangled the whip around himself to have better control of his primary weapon. Jareid was going to reach the tiger and was putting most of his strength behind the blow, but suddenly Tygra disappeared.

Jareid froze in the spot, utterly baffled. His ears turned back a second too late and Tygra's staff hit his back with force, and then swap his legs from under him. He lost his balance and turned around to fall on his back, lifting the sansetsukon just in time to stop a blow. He blinked in confusion. He could feel Tygra's body over him, but he couldn't see him. The teen hesitated, surprised to have the upper hand for once. Jareid recovered and let go of his weapon to reach out towards where Tygra should be. He got hold of the teen's arms, and heard a loud yelp. The jaguar rolled, and just as suddenly, Tygra blinked back into existence under him. The staff and the sansetsukon were between them, and the whip hung loosely from Tygra's hips. The look of utter surprise on the tiger's face would have been priceless if Jareid didn't feel as confused as he was.

"What did you do?"

Tygra blinked and breathed deeply once.

"Unh… I jumped behind you, and you froze? I just continued fighting…"

"No! Before that! You don't have the chameleon suit, how did you disappear?"

Tygra was astonished.

"What are you talking about?"

Jareid growled lowly.

"You disappeared from sight! I was confused for a moment before I sensed where you had gone to."

The tiger frowned in confusion and shook his head.

"I… I don't know… I just needed both hands on the staff and…" Suddenly his face lit up in comprehension.

"Oh."

"What?"

"The whip. When Jaga gave it to me, he explained that the stones at the end could create the illusion of invisibility. He said that it would take some time for me to master that ability. I must have activated the stones somehow."

Jareid lifted an eyebrow and then his smirk returned.

"Well, that's useful. You're becoming more of a challenge each day."

He then proceeded to snog Tygra senseless. The adrenaline of the fight had not gone away yet, and despite Tygra's fears they were pretty much alone.

They carried on, until they both were fully sated. Tygra ended up resting on Jareid's chest, a deeper mark on the jaguar's neck this time.

"… mine…" The tiger said quietly.

Jareid continued caressing the young body over him for long minutes, not quite sure of what had happened, but feeling too content to care.

They returned to the pond after they recovered their senses enough to walk. Lion-O sniffed his brother when they got close and made a disgusted face while groaning in despair. Yeana was not so subtle.

"Jareid! You both stink! What did you do?"

The male jaguar laughed uproariously and Tygra blushed deep red. Lion-O was old enough to identify the smell on his brother, but Yeana's instincts were not yet at the appropriate stage. Jareid messed his sister's long mane, making her bat her arms to shoo him.

"We just got a bit overzealous in training." He said amused. Tygra huffed and muttered something under his breath. Jareid just chuckled.

"One last dive and we can head back to the palace."

The kits yelled happily and ran to the pond, going head first into the water. Tygra followed close, not wanting to advertise to the entire palace what they had been doing.

Jareid smiled at the three younger cats playing happily and touched the side of his neck gingerly. With a last sigh, he decided that he really didn't mind Tygra biting him, and he joined the trio in the water.

They returned to the city just before dusk, in time for the kits to dinner and fall asleep. Tygra took his brother to his room, and then walked to his own quarters, feeling surprisingly relaxed and ready to fall dead on his bed.


	13. Chapter 13

**WARNINGS:** This contains Slash, and abuse, as well as mpreg. It is dark and treats themes only for mature audience, such as rape and sex with a minor. Do not read if you don't like it.

***Disclaimer:** I don't own Thundercats, or any character or event associated to it, and I'm not making any money from this fiction.

**CHAPTER 13. The Problems in Creating a Cub.**

Jareid paced up and down the hall in front of the surgery room in agitation, growling from time to time. He hated waiting. It didn't help that the High Shaman had informed him that he wasn't going to be allowed to take Tygra to his den when the intervention was finished. The tiger had to stay in the Shamans' wing at least one night to be monitored, and for the Shamans to be relatively sure that his body was adjusting to the new addition.

Jareid had always been more instinctual than your average cat. He tended to be primal, and as such he was a loner and more territorial than the rest of the palace's inhabitants. He absolutely didn't like the idea of his mate technically recovering from an injury in any place that was not their private rooms. He had protested to the High Shaman loudly, but the cat hadn't caved. Tygra was staying in a room within the Shamans' wing and that was final.

Jareid growled again and was about to start another circuit around the hall when female paws caught his right arm. He turned to his mother, who was sitting on a chair against the wall and looking amusedly at him. Lion-O was at her side, playing with Snarf to kill time.

"Come on my son. Sit with us for a while. Your tiger is going to be fine. The shamans know what they are doing."

"They better!" He growled under his breath, and then sighed at his mother's raised eyebrow. "I'm sorry mother. I don't think I can sit still. I wish they'd hurry up."

"You know this is not something you can simply hurry up. This is delicate, and they have to see to Tygra's well being at every moment."

Jareid groaned and passed a hand through his mane.

"I know, I know. But my nerves are on end. I want to take him home as soon as possible."

Lion-O scowled. Jareid's use of the word 'home' always confused him. It had taken sometime to realize that the jaguar prince used the word primarily to refer to his own set of rooms, and secondarily to the palace. Jareid considered his rooms _his_ territory, and so they were more 'home' to him than the rest of the palace, which was his father's domain. Xilara only smiled.

"Come here."

She pulled Jareid to her side and made him sit down on a chair. The unhappy jaguar was still growling.

"Now, stop being paranoid. Your mate is going to be treated with all the attention required for his health. Tomorrow at this time you'd have him in your rooms, making sure that he's fine."

Jareid nodded and looked towards the operations room's door. In five minutes he was up and pacing again. Xilara smiled in fond exasperation, and Lion-O really wanted to imitate him. By the lion's standards they were taking too long. He wanted to be sure that his brother was ok and that nothing had gone wrong with the surgery.

Eventually, Bengali poked his head out of the room to see if it was safe to move Tygra. Jareid was instantly over him, asking a barrage of questions and demanding to see his mate. Xilara had a hard time pulling him back before he decided to jump over Bengali and invade the operations room. Lion-O didn't know if he should laugh or be equally worried and try to get information about his brother.

Fortunately, Baal arrived at that moment. He put his son under control long enough for Bengali to give his report. Then he had to hold Jareid back while the Shamans moved his still unconscious mate to a recovery room. He didn't stop his prince from joining Tygra in said room, but he instructed him to let the Shamans do their job and not take Tygra anywhere until the High Shaman said he could do it. Jareid growled unhappily, but nodded at his father and went in search of Tygra. Xilara and Lion-O went with him, both wanting to make sure that the tiger was fine and that Jareid was not going to do something stupid.

Baal sighed and turned to the High Shaman who was watching Jareid's back with a serious expression.

"So, everything really in order? Did Bengali leave something out?"

"No. Tygra should be fine. The surgery went over without complications. It's your son the one I'm worried about Baal. He must have more self-control. Having a mate has helped a lot, but now that Tygra is going to be out of sorts and hurting, we should do something to ensure that Jareid is not going to let his anger take hold of his actions again. I don't want any tragedies."

"There's not going to be any. Jareid is fine. Is perfectly normal for him to worry about his mate."

"Yes, but he exaggerates! Baal, you know that the intensity of Jareid's responses is not normal. He looses all control over his instinct and acts like a wild animal. He doesn't know where to draw the limit between reason and the pull of instinct."

"He's going to behave! You, along the rest of the council, agreed that he's acting differently. That it was fine to let him handle more of his royal duties. He's not doing a bad job. Besides, if he really were letting instinct to rule his actions, he'd have a full-fledged harem by now! Our wild ancestors didn't choose life-partners, they only reproduced and that was all there was."

"That's true, and I'm really happy that your son is on the right path on that aspect. Finally. It certainly took him a while."

Baal growled under his breath. Jareid had given everybody too much work over the years. The king didn't like to be reminded of it. What was the point? His son was changing for the better. He didn't really care to know how it had happened, only that it had. The only thing he wanted to know was what to do to keep it that way, and for Jareid to not go back to his previous behaviour. Xiar sighed and kept talking.

"Look, I know that you don't like to be reminded of Jareid's past misgivings. But it'd be a mistake to just forget they happened. Jareid has not changed that much, Baal. He just moved his focus. He's putting his energy to better use, but the anger, the impulsiveness and utter disregard of everyone else's needs are still there. We should be wary of the moment they decide to resurface."

Baal gritted his teeth, but he didn't answer. He just nodded and left to follow his family into the recovery room. He didn't want to give much importance to the Shaman's concerns. His son was fine. He had his quirks and acted impulsively most of the time, but he was controlling himself. He didn't need to worry about his son.

* * *

Jaried looked attentively as Bengali and a female shaman, whose name he didn't care to know, connected the machine that would keep track of Tygra's vitals. Lion-O asked a few questions concerning the surgery and how to read the signals the machine provided. He was only half-listening. He was busy staying quiet and preventing himself from grabbing Tygra and took off with him to their room. It helped that Bengali was the one tending to the younger tiger. Jareid knew that he wouldn't have tolerated any one else close to his mate when the teen was so vulnerable.

The female went out of the room as soon as Tygra was resting comfortably and hooked to the machine. Bengali stayed longer to answer Lion-O's questions. Jareid started to relax. The room smelled of antiseptic and it wasn't his den, but at least it was private and there was only family inside.

Xilara and Lion-O were sitting on a couch in front of the bed with Bengali on a chair at their side. They were quietly talking about Tygra and what to expect during the following months.

The prince was ready to approach his mate and sit beside the bed. He needed to touch Tygra, to make sure that he was fine. He was only wary of the cats that were still with them, even if they were family. Baal entered the room, and Jareid turned towards him, already growling, until he realized it was his father. He relaxed again and Baal put a hand on his shoulder.

"Everything all right, Jareid?"

The prince nodded, not trusting his voice. He was still too put out. He would have preferred to be alone with Tygra. Baal noticed that Jareid was tense and most likely wanting to go to his tiger.

"Relax son. He's fine. Everything went smoothly and he'd wake up soon."

Jareid sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, not knowing what to do with himself.

"I know. I'm trying to be calm. It's difficult when I can't smell him very well and he's unresponsive."

"Nothing is going to happen to him. I know it's not easy to let others attend to your mate's health, but you have to have in mind that they know their job. Trust them Jareid, they are not going to let you down."

Jareid narrowed his eyes and looked towards the group happily talking in the corner. He trusted Bengali. The white tiger was his friend and had proved to be very reliable and protective when it came to Tygra, but others…

Jareid knew he had to trust the cats that were there to help him in his future role as head and king of his clan. He knew that, rationally. But he just couldn't make himself do it. There had been things that had shown him how very little the cats around him cared for anything but themselves. And there were things he could not forget… or forgive.

He sighed. He didn't want to disappoint his father. He just couldn't help how he felt. Still, he nodded firmly, because he knew that his father needed to be assured that he understood. Baal's gesture softened almost imperceptibly and then he spotted the mark on Jareid's neck. It was very light, and hidden by the fur and his son's clothes, but it was there, Baal couldn't be mistaken. The king lifted his hand towards the marked spot and Jareid's own hurriedly covered it. The jaguar prince turned to look at his father with apprehension and found him smiling.

"So, how long have you sported his mark?"

Jareid shrugged, trying to hide his discomfiture.

"A couple of days. It's not a big deal."

If it had been anyone else, Baal would have dismissed the incident. Every couple carried mutual marks of claiming. It was a signal to other cats that they belonged with each other. But this was Jareid. The prince had never before let anyone mark him. The mark on the neck was also a sign of dominance and Jareid had never allowed anyone, apart from his father, to mess with his neck. That Tygra had bitten him, well, that was most significant.

"It is, my son. You two are a real couple now."

Jareid looked taken aback for a moment, and then his face took in a soft gesture that Baal had never seen before on his son's face. The prince inclined his head and went to sit at Tygra's bedside quietly. Xilara noticed, and raised an eyebrow in question at her mate. Baal only smiled proudly at his son and went to stand by his queen's side. Xiar could think what he wanted. Baal knew that his son was on the right path.

* * *

Tygra woke up in the afternoon, feeling incredibly disoriented. Jareid was playing with his mane and muttering a song under his breath. Tygra moved his head to ask what was going on and his brother's face poked in his line of view. The lion made a happy sound and ran for Bengali. Jareid's hand stopped its motion and the jaguar asked how he was feeling.

Tygra blinked. He wasn't sure of how he was feeling. He tried to talk and his tongue stuck at the roof of his mouth. Jareid helped him to lift his head a bit and offered him a glass of water. The tiger drank a couple of mouthfuls and then felt better. Bengali entered at that moment and shooed Jareid away with some difficulty to check up his patient.

After some questions and prodding with shaman's magic, Bengali concluded that everything was running out smoothly. He disconnected Tygra from the machine that had been monitoring him and gave him some pills and an injection. He instructed the tiger to avoid sudden or forced movements. His thoracic muscles were strained a bit and would not take kindly to any stress on his part. The white tiger assured him that he'd heal quickly and he'd only need to stay in observation for the night. Jareid contented himself with the promise that he'd be able to take his mate to his own bedroom the next day and took mental note of the medicines and attentions that Tygra would need.

Lion-O hugged his brother's shoulders, happy that the tiger was having a fast recovery, and then accompanied Bengali out of the room to give Tygra the chance to rest more. Ben promised to send something to eat shortly and left the couple alone. He knew that Jareid was barely restraining himself from checking the young tiger himself.

Indeed, as soon as the door closed after the Shaman, Jareid practically pounced on Tygra, moving the light sheets aside and sniffing every part of the tiger's body, starting with his stomach. Tygra rolled his eyes in exasperation and tried unsuccessfully to push Jareid from him.

"Jareid! Please, I'm fine! There's no need for you to exaggerate!"

He tried to laugh, but it was very painful, so he settled for a groan. Jareid ignored his protest and put his hands on Tygra's flanks, carefully stroking the fur and making sure that the tiger's body was still in one piece. He pushed Tygra slightly, making room for him to cuddle against the youth. He sucked and bit the teen's neck and his hands continued roaming over the rest of his mate's body, avoiding the bandaged patch on Tygra's navel. The teen sighed resignedly as Jareid started to groom his face and head.

"You know, I'm not on my death bed here. You were the one who wanted me to do this! Why are you so anxious?"

He received a desperate kiss in answer and he started to worry. Perhaps there was something wrong after all? But Jareid's next words convinced him that his mate was just mental and was trying to reassure himself.

"Let me be. I've been dying to have you in my arms from the moment you were out of surgery, but there were other people in here with us, and your stubborn brother refused to go away until you waked up."

He continued kissing Tygra's face and head. The tiger didn't know if he should be relieved that Jareid had waited until they were alone to do what he was doing, or worried by the intensity of the jaguar's reaction. He remembered when his leg had been shredded by a harpoon and shuddered at the memory of what his mate had done on that occasion. He was suddenly grateful that all of this having cubs deal had been technically Baal's fault. If something went wrong Tygra was so going to place the blame on the king.

Jareid was calming down and trying to curl around Tygra without affecting the surgery wound. The youth sighed and held onto his mate's body, trying to cuddle as much as he could.

"I'm fine. And you promised you were not going to go overprotective."

"I did no such thing. I promised I'd be on my best behaviour, and I consider I was very patient with your brother. The brat should be grateful that I tolerated him here."

Tygra groaned and leant his head on Jareid's shoulder. He breathed deeply, grudgingly accepting that Jareid's smell was better than the sterilized one of the room.

"You really should do something about that obsession with me Jareid. It's starting to be creepy."

Jareid chuckled and tightened his embrace.

"I don't see any problem with my obsessing over you. I'm quite happy having you entirely for me."

Tygra huffed.

"Of course, _you_ don't see a problem. Smartass."

The jaguar chuckled again and continued kissing Tygra's head sporadically. They remained like that until Bengali irrupted in the room again to bring them food.

* * *

The next day, early in the morning, Bengali made a final check up on Tygra and declared he could leave the Shamans' wing. No sooner the words were pronounced than Jareid lifted Tygra from the bed to the utter embarrassment of said tiger.

"Jareid! Put me down! No one told you to bloody carry me!"

"Oh, shush Tygra. It's easier this way. Besides, Bengali has just said that you are to rest as much as possible."

"He didn't meant that I have to stay off my feet the entire time!"

Bengali coughed discretely.

"Actually, I'd prefer that you avoid doing any type of exercise for today. You can be up again tomorrow and start moving normally around then."

Tygra gaped incredulously at the Shaman, and Jareid smirked triumphantly.

"Ha! Shaman's orders my tiger! You have no room to complain!"

"Ben! You traitor!"

"I'm sorry Tygra, but I want your wound to heal properly without any risk of infection, and as fast as possible. Tomorrow I'd give you a set of exercises to help your thoracic muscles to readjust, but today you are bedridden for all intents and purposes."

"Beeeen!"

Tygra whined and Jareid chuckled in amusement.

"Come my tiger. You'd be all healed in no time!"

He promptly walked out of the room, taking his mate to their private quarters.

* * *

Tygra sighed contently as he showered. He let the water damp his fur and slide down his body. The past two days had been a nightmare. Jareid wouldn't let him do anything! He didn't want to know how it was going to be when he'd get pregnant. Right at the moment his mate had gone away because there was only too much work that he could do from his private study. Jareid couldn't just ignore his responsibilities, as much as he'd want to, so he had had to see the commander and solve certain issues personally. He had ordered Tygra to stay in the room and not do anything strenuous. Honestly! As if he was going to fall from exhaustion from just walk from the bed to the bathroom! He was going to have a serious talk with his mate. He was not going to survive the pregnancy if Jareid continued to treat him like he had some kind of disability.

Tygra sighed. Jareid had been very anxious and wanted to keep Tygra on sight every moment. The young tiger didn't know what to do to calm his mate. He gingerly touched the patch of exposed skin on his navel. The wound hadn't given him any trouble, but he felt very weird. He had the subtle feeling that he had eaten too much and was full inside. He wasn't hurting, but it wasn't exactly pleasant either.

With a groan he finished his shower and walked to the changing room. He only put on a pair of forest green trousers and returned to the bedroom, just in time as Jareid entered by the arch to the study, almost out of breath.

"Tygra! What are you…?"

"Calm down, would you? I only took a shower, I'm not about to die!"

Jareid bristled and approached his mate with fast steps. Tygra felt threatened and growled, lifting his arms to try and stop Jareid from crowding him. Thankfully, the jaguar stopped at arms reach and narrowed his eyes.

"Tygra…"

"Look, I'm not a cub, all right? I can get up from the bloody bed and walk! You don't need to be hovering over me every single minute of the day!"

Jareid blinked, somewhat baffled at Tygra's outburst. Then he ran his fingers through his short mane and sighed.

"You need to rest." He stated. "I don't want you to stress yourself."

"Well, I'm getting stressed from doing nothing! I can't be lying down the entire day Jareid! I don't have some weird terminal illness. You wanted me to do this! If I'm going to be carrying any cubs…!"

"I know!" The jaguar interrupted with a growl and Tygra automatically shut up and lowered his eyes, but he was still growling lowly. Jareid touched his cheek with his knuckles.

"Look, I know. It's just hard to fight my instinct. I didn't count on my own reaction to you being 'hurt'. I have to keep telling myself that you are fine."

Tygra calmed down enough to stop growling. He leaned on Jareid's touch and held his mate's hand close. He wasn't sure how or when it happened, but he needed the jaguar's caresses to feel reassured.

"I'm fine. I know everyone sees me too young. I am too young, but I can take care of myself. I believe it was you the one who was insisting to Bengali that I am strong enough to carry on with this."

Jareid chuckled and closed the short space that still remained between him and the tiger.

"I was. I'd have to remember it myself."

A rueful smile crossed Tygra's lips and he leaned on his mate's shoulder.

"I don't like to feel useless, that's all I ask. I chose to do this. I'm still not sure why I did it, but I chose to stay here with you." He touched his navel and sighed. "Maybe I just want something of my own. Something to belong to."

A strong arm surrounded his shoulders and Jareid kissed his forehead tenderly.

"You belong with me. My tiger. I'm never letting you go."

Tygra sighed and allowed himself to believe that for the moment.

"Now, I suppose that you'd want to go and have lunch in the dinning room?"

Tygra's ears perked up and he hurried to the closet to grab a shirt.

"Of course! What are we waiting for?"

Jareid chuckled in amusement and tried to control the impulse to carry Tygra out of the rooms.

* * *

The next week passed without much trouble. Tygra was getting incredibly bored and had taken to go see his brother's training and help Jareid with paperwork. He soon was acquainted with the routines and moves of the royal guard and reading all he could on strategies and regulations. At the end of the week, the High Shaman declared that the surgery had been a success and, as no health problem had arisen and his body hadn't given any indication to be rejecting the womb, it was deemed safe to start with the hormonal treatment.

Bengali explained what Tygra would have to expect and suggested to report even the smallest discomfort that the tiger could feel. The youth wasn't fond of the idea, but he knew that Bengali needed to be aware of every reaction of his body in order to solve any problem that could arise on time.

Thankfully, Jareid had calmed down. With no visible wound on Tygra's body and the teen practically staying in his own private study, Jareid's exuberant possessiveness had toned down. Bengali was only worried of how Jareid's instinct was going to interpret the sudden change that the hormones were going to bring on his mate. Tygra's smell was bound to change, and his pheromones surely were going to make a number on him. So, the white tiger had a talk with the couple to warn them and hopefully prevent any crisis that could come from the fact of Tygra not smelling like himself.

Jareid promised to have it in mind, but both princes were dreading the moment the hormonal change was noticeable. They both knew that what the High Shaman and Bengali feared was Jareid's instinct to stop recognizing Tygra as his mate, and for it to catalogue the new smell as unpleasant. It was a common complaint among male couples that underwent the "pregnancy procedure." Many reported that the pheromones made them reject their chosen mates when they were too close. With Jareid's instincts always in overdrive, the shamans were wary of the way the jaguar prince could react.

After two days, it turned out that their worries had been unfounded, or rather, focusing on the wrong end of the deal. Tygra's pheromones made him smell like he was in heat. It provoked Jareid to be always horny and his sex drive went up straight to the sky. Tygra was going crazy. He thanked the spirits for his private room, because he just couldn't have tolerated Jareid on top of him 24/7. It was bad enough at night. The tiger could barely sleep!

It took three days for his hormones to stabilize and another two for Jareid to manage to control himself around his mate. Tygra feared he wouldn't be able to walk if the situation went on for much longer.

Finally, the High Shaman decided it was time for a first try, and Tygra was so nervous he couldn't even eat properly. Lion-O took upon himself to be at his brother's side the day before the procedure took place, and try to quell the tiger's fears. The young tiger was very anxious and had chosen to go to the training courtyard to burn out some of it. The two brothers spared for the first time in more than a year, and Tygra found out that he didn't need to hold back anymore. Lion-O had improved his technique and his attacks were stronger and confident. A far cry from the disorganized attempts he used to do at home. Tygra still won, but only because he was stronger and had more stamina than his little brother. Besides, Lion-O was very careful to tone down his blows without the tiger noticing. Both were exhausted when they finally decided to stop and sat on one of the courtyard's benches.

"That was very good Lion-O. You have improved. I'm proud of you."

The young lion smiled with joy at his brother's praise. He crossed his legs, and leaned on the tiger's flank.

"Thanks. I'm actually enjoying the training here. We are starting to use real swords!"

"Really? That's great!"

Tygra messed his brother's mane, and Lion-O swatted his hands away. They talked a bit more about their respective trainings. After a while, Tygra fell pensive and a worried frown started to appear on his forehead. Lion-O turned to look at him and sighed.

"Stop thinking about tomorrow Tygra! It'd do you no good to worry yourself sick!"

Tgyra chuckled nervously. If only he could stop thinking.

"It's not easy. I'm starting to fear that this is not a good idea. What am I going to do with a cub?"

Lion-O hugged his brother's arm and leaned his head on the stripped shoulder.

"You'd do great Tygra. Besides, you're not going to raise him alone!"

"No. But that's another thing that worries me. I don't know if it is wise to trust Jareid with a cub! I can't picture him as a parent, and I'm pretty scared of the way he reacts when he's angry. What's going to happen when our cub makes him loose his patience?"

"Then Ben would be there too, and Yeana and I, even queen Xilara. None of us is going to leave you to deal alone with the package."

Tygra smiled gratefully at his brother, but his anxiousness was still there. Lion-O straightened on the bench and looked directly at the tiger's profile.

"Ty, why did you choose to do this?"

The older prince bit his lower lip and looked down.

"I'm not really sure anymore. It was so clear at the moment."

Lion-O pressed his lips and squeezed his brother's hand sympathetically.

"Maybe you should remember the feeling. What exactly convinced you to accept to form a family with Jareid."

Tygra's smile became nostalgic for a second and then he nodded and played with Lion-O's unruly mane a bit more. The lion growled and swatted his hands at him. They stayed outside until someone announced to them that it was diner time.

* * *

That night, as Tygra lied awake at his mate's side, his head pillowed on the broad chest and his ear listening to the steady beat of the jaguar's heart, the tiger thought about Lion-O's words. What exactly had happened to him? Did Claudus' apparent abandonment have really hurt that much to decide not to return to Thundera?

Tygra sighed as he reopened an old wound in his heart. Claudus would always choose Lion-O over Tygra. Lion-O was his flesh and blood. His heir. As much as Claudus could love Tygra, the tiger would always be his adopted son. An outsider in a family that was not his own.

Tygra sighed inwardly. Was he doing the right thing? His relationship with Jareid was rocky and had not had the best of beginnings. He had been forced into it. Was it correct to bring a cub into a family that had been coerced into existence? To parents that didn't love each other? Tygra shivered at that last thought. Jareid and he didn't love each other. Was it possible to raise a cub without love?

Jareid moved, interrupting his train of thought. He turned to rest on his left side. His right arm went over Tygra's torso and he mumbled something unintelligible. Tygra looked at Jareid's sleeping face for a moment and caught sight of the side of the jaguar's neck. There, very light, but still visible, was the mark he had done. He had bit Jareid about five different times in the same place, and the jaguar had allowed it. He lifted his hand and touched the marked spot gingerly. Jareid growled in his sleep, but almost immediately started to purr.

Tygra put his arms around his mate's body and leaned his head against the jaguar's sternum, rubbing his forehead against Jareid's chin a couple of times. The jaguar prince responded with a grunt and his purring grew louder. Tygra smiled. Perhaps there was no love between them, but they had learned to care for each other, and they could still love their cub, no matter the circumstances that had led them to it.

Feeling somewhat calmer, he let Jareid's purr lull him into sleep.

* * *

The next day, Tygra was considering running away as a viable option. He was more nervous than the day of the surgery and he wanted to use his claws and scratch. Bengali of course was not going to let him do anything so self-destructive. The white tiger was keeping a vigilant eye on him as the final preparations were made.

Tygra gulped as he saw the thing that was to be used on him. This part of the procedure was not really difficult. He was not undergoing any major surgery like the first one. His womb was supposedly prepared to host an embryo and was only waiting for the implantation to take place. So, they were going to do just that. It wouldn't require any surgery. It was going to be more like an injection. They were going to make an incision and insert a needle, wide enough for a microscopic bunch of cells to pass through and inside him. The wound would be very small, so he'd only need local anaesthesia.

Which meant he'd be awake for the entire procedure, and _that_ was at the moment creeping him out. He was thinking of that big, huge, needle, more like a fencing sword in fact, maybe a bit wider, piercing his navel and stopping short from getting out through his lower back. Bengali approached him and put a hand on his shoulder, startling him.

"Hey, are you all right kit? You look pale."

"Yeah, sure." Tygra gulped and looked back at the fearful needle. Ben chuckled.

"You're not going to feel it. Come, lie down."

"You know Ben, I've been thinking. Wouldn't it be possible for me to be knocked out for this? I really don't want to see."

"Then look the other way."

Ben made Tygra lie down and injected the anaesthesia. The tiger sucked air. He swore he could feel the tiny needle moving under his skin.

"Whiskers."

"You know you're not actually feeling any pain."

"Try to be in my place."

"Look at me."

Tygra turned his head to the side enough to see Bengali's face.

"Come on, you can fight in the jungle and stand face to face to Jareid. You're not afraid of pain when you're training."

"For your information, I'm not thinking about the pain when I'm fighting and this is not any kind of combat where I can defend myself. This is different, and I'm declaring myself incapable to treat it rationally."

"Ok, let's try to get you relaxed. Close your eyes."

"Ben…"

"Just do it."

Tygra sighed and followed his friend's instructions. He tried to ignore the noise of the other shamans moving closer to him. Bengali's hand closed over his right arm, grounding him.

"Breath deeply, once… twice… You better not faint because I don't want to have to stop Jareid from destroying the clinic."

Tygra scoffed.

"Oh, please! Do you really think he'd do that?"

"You don't? It's a miracle that no one has been hurt so far! The cat's a menace!"

A smile graced the young tiger's lips. He blinked to readjust his eyes, but tried to not look down, and he kept them closed.

"Ben, do you really think that Jareid and I are going to be capable of raising a cub?"

"Of course not! Are you insane? That's why you'd have me, and the rest of the family, taking care of all three of you! Who knows what you'd do if left to your own devices!"

"Seriously Ben!" Tygra said a bit exasperated. The older tiger's hand was immediately on his forehead, caressing him.

"Don't worry too much kit. You're going to manage just fine. The part of all of us being here to support you is very much truth. You'd have all the help you'd need, and more."

"I'm trying not to think too much about it, but I can't help it."

"Every new parent is terrified at some point. I think it comes in the job description."

"Jareid doesn't look too worried if you ask me."

"Just wait 'till he has a crying cub in his arms and no idea of what is wrong."

"Oh dear spirits. I'd rather not think about that!"

Ben chuckled and Tygra sighed.

"Why are you such an expert?"

"My oldest sister has a three years old cub, and is expecting her second. She used to run to our mother every single day with a new crisis for the first months. She got a hold of cub-caring eventually."

Tygra opened his mouth to say something more, when a slight discomfort on his mid-section made him tense instantly. He whimpered and the High Shaman's voice was heard.

"Relax. We are finished here. We only have to wait to see your body's reaction and in a couple of days we'd be able to confirm if he embryo had completed the implantation and if it's in fact developing as it should."

Tygra blinked and lifted his head in surprise. The machine was being pulled away from him, and he could distinguish a small area on his tummy where the fur looked messed.

"Wha…?"

Bengali looked amused at him.

"See? Told you, you weren't going to feel anything."

Tygra blushed and the High Shaman smiled at him.

"You can go now. If you start to feel any discomfort call Ben immediately."

"Mmm… Can I stay here a bit longer?" He asked, suddenly worried about having to face Jareid. Both Bengali and Xiar frowned.

"Is there a problem?" Bengali asked seriously.

Tygra sighed. He knew by then that everyone in the palace tended to be wary of Jareid's bad moods.

"Not a problem exactly. Well, it depends on the point of view. I swear that the pheromones turned on some switch in his mind and I don't know how to turn it off again! You think he only cared about sex before, you should see him now!"

"My, I rather not, thank you." Said Ben, understanding the boy's dilemma. Xiar's frown however didn't go away.

"I was under the impression that he was controlling his urges now."

"Well, a bit. He tries to actually get to the bed before he jumps me, and he's not hunting me down the entire palace because he has not seen me for more than a few minutes. But still, a good entire night's sleep would be great."

The Shaman's fears seemed to quell and Ben took the word.

"Sorry Tygra. We really didn't see that coming. The usual reaction to the treatment is in fact the very opposite. Though, in retrospective, we should have expected something like this. Jareid, after all, is more instinctual and he used to have no qualms about the gender of his bed partners."

Tygra raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"How would that have affected his reaction?"

"Well, most of the cats that decide to undergo this procedure to have cubs are male partners, and they choose this option because they don't feel even the least bit attracted to females. You have to know that only females have a heat cycle, thus the special pheromones that they produce."

"Oh."

Tygra nodded in understanding. That, however, didn't help him to solve his problem. Granted, Jareid had been more in control for the past couple of nights, and had actually been mellow and more caring with him, but the young tiger really needed to sleep!

Bengali wanted to reassure the teen some more, but Jareid irrupted in the room at that moment, apparently tired of waiting for Tygra to get out, and assuming that there had been some sort of complication. He summarily ignored the High Shaman's reassurances that everything was fine and glared at Bengali, clearly expecting an explanation from him. The white tiger sighed and proceeded to repeat what the High Shaman had already said. Tygra was fine, they were only giving him some advice and instructions on what to do if an emergency occurred. Jareid nodded at his friend, and once he was cleared to take his mate out of the clinic, he lost no time in doing so.

Tygra watched the exchange with apprehension. It was not the first time he saw Jareid looking for Bengali's words rather than the High Shaman's. Xiar didn't seem offended by it, but Tygra felt uneasiness in his gut when his mate acted in that way. He had respected Jaga and held his advice. Even if he sometimes had doubted the cleric's words, he'd never have dared to blatantly disregard the old cat, much less to his very face. He addressed the issue once they were clear of the Shamans' wing.

"Jareid, don't you trust the High Shaman?"

The jaguar prince huffed and his eyes hardened.

"I have some personal issues with him. But I know he's the best. That's why he is High Shaman after all."

"But you don't entirely trust him."

"I would have preferred that only Bengali were in charge of your health. But apparently I have no say in this situation."

"And, Bengali is still young. Not experienced enough to take charge of something as complicated as this." Tygra said, lifting an eyebrow at his mate, who huffed again.

"There's that too, yes."

Tygra shook his head.

"You know he's going to be your right hand one day, don't you?"

"What are you talking about? As far as I'm concerned there'd only be you and Bengali at my side when I'd get to be the king."

"You can't dismiss the entire council Jareid."

"Fine, Ben's father can stay, maybe the Chief Commander too, but only because I'm fully intending to drop all things concerning to the military on their hands."

Tygra groaned as he started to list the reasons why the council existed in the first place, and why it was a bad idea to dismiss it or overlook it. Jareid however didn't seem to be paying much attention to what he was saying, until Tygra huffed in annoyance.

"You know, sometimes you remind me too much of Lion-O when he was taking his lessons in Thundera."

"Hey! Don't compare me with the kit! He's a thirteen years old!"

"And that's older than your mental age, I swear!"

Jareid suddenly pushed Tygra against the wall and kissed the living lights out of the surprised tiger. When he paused to breath, Tygra could barely stand upright.

"That looks to you like something a thirteen years old could pull?"

"Smartass! And I…"

"Wow. Not even a little awestruck? I suppose that is some kind of accomplishment."

Tgyra turned his head to his right towards the cat that had interrupted them. One of the young noble females was standing a few meters from them, looking critically at their display. Jareid growled menacingly at her, and when that didn't have the desired effect of she turning around and disappearing, the jaguar prince turned fully to confront her, putting himself between the female and his mate. Tygra rolled his eyes at the jaguar's back, but let him be. He sincerely didn't want to get into a verbal fight with Jareid in front of witnesses. Besides, the female in question was one of Jareid's lovers. Let him handle his own screw-ups.

The jaguaress advanced to them and Jareid tensed as if he was going to attack her. Tygra reasoned that the jaguar wouldn't just attack someone without provocation, but he was starting to worry. The female though didn't seem concerned. She stopped just out of arm's reach from them.

"How cute! Are you protecting him from the likes of me? Honestly Jareid, what he needs is someone to protect him from you. And I told you before, I don't mind sharing."

"And I told you to get lost Saixa! How many times do I have to repeat it?"

The female seemed unaffected. She looked past Jareid to the teen that was getting nervous.

"He's too young Jareid, barely of age. He's not going to give you a cub. His body is not going to resist the strain."

Tygra tensed at the words, and Jareid's growl intensified.

"Shut up Saixa!"

"Is he aware of that, Jareid? A male carrier has less chance to take a pregnancy to term as it is."

"Saixa…"

"Considering his age, it's going to be a miracle if he even gets pregnant at all. Sometimes it takes up to five tries for a successful pregnancy to happen. Sometimes they never succeed."

Jareid roared and Tygra grabbed his right arm. The tiger knew everything that the woman was saying. He had read enough about male pregnancy. But at the moment he was getting more worried about the possibility of Jareid hitting the girl. He wished she'd shut up. Either she had a death wish or she couldn't see the danger right in front of her!

"Don't get mad at me Jareid! You know it's the truth! You know that a female is your best chance to have an heir this year! A male that young can't carry cubs! He'd get hurt trying!"

Ok, she had a death wish. Tygra couldn't really do much about it, save try to hold his mate back.

"I said shut the fuck up Saixa! I don't care what you think! Get the hell out of my sight before I make you!"

The female smirked at him and looked in amusement at the firm grasp that Tygra had on the jaguar's arm.

"Don't worry little one. Jareid likes to threaten a lot, but he's not going to actually harm me."

Tygra wasn't so sure of that, and judging by the angry scoff that Jareid gave at the statement, he'd rather not take any risks.

"Just come a little closer and we'd test those words Saixa…"

The woman looked at her prince defiantly.

"If you wanted to really hurt me, the boy wouldn't be able to stop you."

Now Tygra was starting to be afraid. Thankfully, the jaguaress decided to turn around with one last statement for Jareid.

"Remember my prince, I don't mind to share. I promise I can take good care of both of you!"

She disappeared behind a corner. Jareid was fuming.

"That little vixen! I'd screw her neck!"

"You're not going to do anything of the sort Jareid!"

"Why not?"

Tygra looked incredulously at his jaguar mate.

"You can't just go around hurting people that annoys you! You certainly can't kill anyone unless there's really no other choice!"

"Relax. I'm not killing anybody, I'm just going to squeeze her neck a bit."

"Jareid…" Tygra growled. The jaguar embraced him.

"Don't be upset my tiger. Cats like her don't deserve your attention."

He started to kiss Tygra's forehead and caress his back. Tygra immediately felt the slight change in his mate's touch.

"Don't try to distract me with sex Jareid! I'm not like you!"

"Come on my tiger." Jareid almost whined, refusing to let go of the teen's body.

"No! We spent almost the entire night 'playing.' Wasn't that enough?"

"I can't help it. You smell delicious."

Jareid lifted Tygra easily and kissed his mouth, then borrowed his nose in his mate's neck and breathed deeply.

"So delicious… I want to be inside you and never let go."

Tygra almost sobbed.

"Jareid, please. I'm really tired, and I seriously need to sleep more than a couple of hours!"

The jaguar resumed the walk towards his rooms, still carrying Tygra.

"Don't worry, you don't have to move a finger. I promise I'd let you sleep the entire day."

Tygra groaned, knowing that he was not going to escape Jareid's clutches anytime soon. He only hopped the jaguar was done quickly and actually leave him to sleep the day off. He was so tired that he didn't care that it was still noon.

* * *

Tygra woke up curled on his bed and shivering. He felt disoriented and lifted his head just a bit to have a peak around. The room was dark. It was night, and a heavy rain was falling. The lightning illuminated the room from time to time.

Tygra scowled. He had not intended to sleep for so long. He shivered again and he tried to curl more and get under Jareid at the same time. He was cold and very, very thirsty.

He debated for a moment if he should wake up Jareid or go find a glass of water and some covers himself. He was wondering where he could find a heavy comforter when an acute pain in his stomach took him by surprise. He groaned loudly and braced himself. Jareid moved behind him, and soon the sleepy voice of the older prince reached his ears.

"Tygra? Are you awake?"

There was another peak of pain and Tygra cried in misery, clutching his midsection as if he was seriously considering gutting himself. He couldn't stop shivering and his teeth started doing rattling noises. Jareid moved quickly and was in an instant crouching in front of his mate, who moaned at the loss of body heat.

"Tygra, look at me. Are you in pain?"

"…'ss … hurtsss…"

Jareid took his communicator quickly and called Bengali. Then, he covered Tygra with the sheets, but it was evident that it wasn't enough to provide heat to the tiger. He opened a drawer and got out the covers he had used to travel with the warriors to the mountains to train. He covered Tygra with those, and it seemed to calm the teen a little.

"It's ok Tygra. Ben would be here in a minute. He'd sort you out."

Tygra wanted to answer, but the pain was getting worse and he could only gasp. He felt as if someone was driving a sword through him repeatedly. Then, his abdomen contracted and he cried out.

Jareid was at a loss. Tygra was in pain and he had no means to stop it. What was taking Bengali so long?

Tygra cried again, and Jareid was just about to lift his mate and carry him to the Shamans' wing when Ben finally arrived, healer's bag in hand.

The Shaman assessed the situation and quickly put himself to work. He didn't like that Tygra's belly hurt so much, and he needed to stabilize the youth's temperature as quickly as possible. He instructed Jareid to help him and the jaguar prince soon had Tygra sitting on his lap.

"Open your mouth Tygra. Drink this."

"… B-Ben…"

"It's fine Tygra. This is going to make you feel better."

Tygra swallowed the medicine and Bengali injected him something too. The pain lessened slightly and Tygra moaned.

"Put on some clothes Jareid. We are taking Tygra to the clinic."

"What's happening Ben?"

"He's rejecting the embryo. Or, it never implanted in the first place, and his body is trying to get rid of the leftovers. I have to take his temperature down and stabilize him."

Jareid clenched his teeth, trying to tell himself that it was just the first try. Something like this always happened on the first try. He had read all about it.

He followed Bengali's instructions and carried Tgyra to the clinic, hoping against hope that his friend could help his mate and solve the problem quickly.

* * *

For two days the Shamans were trying to stabilize Tygra, until they had to give up and accept that the implantation hadn't been successful. Tgyra's womb had already shed the lining off, and the tiger's body was trying to get rid of the resulting bloody mess. They had to drain the blood via a small tube that they inserted into Tygra's belly. The cut they made was very small, as they didn't want to upset the tiger's body even more. They retired the tube and put a stitch in the cut as soon as there was no more blood getting out.

The High Shaman gave the king a full report, but Jareid wanted Bengali to explain him what had happened. The white tiger talked with both cats in the clinic's room where Tygra was recovering from the ordeal. The youth looked very pale, but at least the pain was gone.

Bengali explained what had had to be done, and that they believed that the embryo had failed to implant properly. Another theory was that the embryo had formed a cyst and had failed to produce the hormones that would have had maintained the lining covering the womb. Either way, the womb had tried to dispose of the blood and tissue that was no longer needed, but it had no means to do so, as Tygra was a male. The tiger's body had reacted rather strongly.

Tygra sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. He was lying on the bed; his head was leaning on Jareid's thigh, and his mate was massaging his scalp in an effort to soothe him. He still felt terrible, but didn't want to sleep. He heard Bengali's explanation like he was listening to a lecture. He felt almost detached from the whole thing.

"So, it was too much to ask for a success at the first try, right?"

Bengali sighed at the teen's attempt to dismiss what had happened. Jareid scratched tenderly the back of Tygra's ears and looked at him worriedly.

"It's very difficult to have a successful first attempt. There's nothing to do but try again."

Tygra felt weird. He had been conscious that on the 98% of the cases the first try was unsuccessful. Still, he had been praying to be among the extremely lucky 2% that made it without problems. He bit his lips. He had known beforehand that he'd probably loose the embryo this first time, but it still felt as some kind of failure.

Jareid looked down at his mate in concern. It worried him the apparent lack of reaction on the tiger's part. Tygra was almost absent.

"Tygra, how are you feeling?" He asked while his fingers combed the stripped fur on the tiger's head. His mate shrugged.

"I'm just… tired, I think."

Jareid scowled and looked towards Bengali, who was also worried for the young cat.

"He needs to sleep and recover strength. Let him rest for a couple of hours before we do a last scan. Just to be sure that there is no more blood pooling inside him, and then you can take him to your room."

Jareid nodded and he continued playing with his mate's short mane. Tygra entered some sort of slumber, focusing only on Jareid's fingers, and not thinking in anything else.


	14. Chapter 14

**WARNINGS:** This contains Slash, and abuse, as well as mpreg. It treats themes only for mature audience, such as sex with a minor. Do not read if you don't like it.

***Disclaimer:** I don't own Thundercats, or any character or event associated to it, and I'm not making any money from this fiction.

**Author's note:** I think I made this chapter too long, and I'm repeating myself on some parts of it. I might change some paragraphs later. I just wanted to post it already.

**CHAPTER 14. Plots and Plans.**

They let Tygra's body have two weeks to recover before making a second try. The hormonal treatment never ceased, and Tygra felt moody most of the time. He was trying to get on with his studies, and he even sneaked out to train a bit with Xalu and Xora to not fell so far behind his fellow hunter trainees. It also helped him to recover some sense of normalcy that he so needed before Jareid made him go mad. The jaguar prince seemed to be caught somewhere between concern for his mate's health and the lust that Tygra's pheromones were still inspiring on him. Tygra had a few chosen words for whoever had invented this male pregnancy procedure. It was going to be the dead of him!

He presented himself to the second try at implanting the embryo with some fear. His insides still felt weird and he was not sure that he had recovered at 100%, but the High Shaman was not giving him a choice. It hurt a bit this time, as Tygra's anxiousness didn't make things easier. He even decided to go straight to his room and move as little as possible. He just couldn't rid himself of the thought that he had not been ready yet.

* * *

Baal growled at the communicator in his hand.

His High Counsellor and a small guard were in Thundera to attend the council meeting there. Lion-O had refused to go, not wanting his father to have the opportunity to keep him in Thundera. Claudus of course had been furious and it had been necessary to put the young lion in touch with his father. Lion-O had been able to calm the Thunderian king down and Claudus had grudgingly agreed to leave the lion teen with his brother for as long as he wanted.

That had gone well, especially considering that Lion-O had managed to keep his brother's attempts at pregnancy to himself. Though Baal was convinced that if the lion cub had said anything Claudus wouldn't have believed it, not even if Tygra himself had mentioned it, there was no reason to take unnecessary risks.

Baal had set the matter closed, but now Claudus was asking to send a Cleric. A bloody Cleric! He said that Lion-O needed to be taught the essentials to become Thundera's king, and he wanted to send someone who could tutor him. Besides, the Clerics also acted as bodyguards of the royal family. Lion-O had to be assigned a guardian.

Now, since the lion heir was no longer considered a war prisoner, Baal really had no ground to deny Claudus' request. However, he pointed out that Ix-Maal had excellent tutors, and that Lion-O's education was not going to be lacking. It seemed though that Claudus didn't believe that Baal understood just what Lion-O needed to be taught. The jaguar king bristled at the insinuation, but after some statements it was clear that Claudus didn't doubt the jaguars tutors' capabilities. He was wary of what they could teach Lion-O, but he was much more concerned over the fact that they might not want to teach him.

Baal was for a moment utterly baffled. He frankly didn't understand the lion king's concern. Jaga took charge of the communication then, and explained to Baal that Lion-O wasn't really a good student and his tutors had always had many complaints about him. Jaga accepted that the young lion was difficult, and he believed that the heir needed special attention on his tutors' part. Claudus' concern was that the jaguars didn't have any obligation to Lion-O and thus they would be tired of the lion soon and not force him to go ahead with his studies.

Baal understood the situation based on what he had known about the lions, and remembering certain comments Tygra had made. For a moment he really wanted to laugh. He contented himself with informing the lion king that both Lion-O and Tygra had been assigned tutors from the moment they had arrived to Ix-Maal. No one had yet complained about either one of the princes, quite the contrary, both were getting excellent notes and Lion-O was in fact in very good terms with his tutors. They were quite happy to teach him.

His comment seemed to have rendered both Thunderians speechless. Baal took advantage of their moment of shock to conclude that Lion-O really didn't need any more teachers. The young lion had his hands full as it was. Also, another guard in the palace was redundant, there hasn't been any security issues concerning Lion-O, so no cleric was really required. He'd send Claudus a report on the lessons that Lion-O was taking and his progress on them. He promised to consider the cleric's presence along the next months. He cut the communication before either Thunderian had recovered enough to put his wits together and think of a comeback.

He sighed and leaned back on his seat, considering the new development. His delegation would be back that evening, no doubt with the report that they'd left a communicator in Thundera. That wasn't really a problem, as they could intercept any communication and record or interrupt it. But he knew that Claudus was not going to let the subject of the Cleric go. The lion king wanted someone from his own court close to Lion-O. Someone that would guarantee that the young lion's mind wouldn't get too contaminated with the jaguar's values, and remind the heir what Thundera stood for.

Baal scoffed. Lion-O was old enough to choose which values he wanted to follow. Claudus wanted to make sure that his heir didn't forget his duties, but it may be a little late for that, and not even because of the year that the young lion had already spent in another city.

The jaguar shrugged. The lion king's problems were not of his incumbency. The real issue for him was the Cleric. Whoever Claudus wanted to send, was bound to cause problems, especially because the lion no doubt would be counting on his cleric to have access to Tygra. Baal didn't want to put more stress on the young tiger's shoulders. He also didn't want the teen to reconsider his options. The first cleric had been too close to get Tygra apart from Jareid; Baal didn't want any more interference.

He hoped that the High Shaman found the way to get the young cat pregnant already. That was the priority. Once Tygra was with cub, there'd be nothing Claudus could do to take his adopted son back. A lazy smile appeared on his lips. The next meeting in Thundera would be in three months. If Tygra were already pregnant by then, he'd accept Thundera's cleric in his domain. The shamans were very capable to handle any one of the Thunderians. They'd keep the guardian in line and away from Tygra if need be.

One thing picked his curiosity though. Claudus had said that the clerics were the royal bodyguards. If that was truth, then why Lion-O hadn't had one during his cubhood? Why wait until he was a teenager to assign him one? And why didn't Tygra get his own guard too? True, the jaguars really didn't know the inner works of Thundera's court, but Baal distinctly remembered his warriors reporting that they had found the two Thunderian princes quite alone in the heir's room. Tygra had been the one trying to protect his little brother against fully trained warriors. If the Clerics were the royal guards they sure did a shitty job.

* * *

The dull pain in his belly started around dinner, and he was throwing up early in the morning. Xiar gave him medicine and two injections to try to reduce the pain and stabilize him, but the fever was back in full force by the night of the second day, and the contractions of his abdominal muscles were killing him.

As it happened the first time, every effort the shamans did to salvage the situation was for nothing. They had to drain the contents of Tygra's womb again and let him recover for another week.

The tiger apparently took the situation in stride. The High Shaman never heard a complaint or bitterness from him, but Bengali was worried. Tygra was talking less and he was trying to bury himself in books to hide in his room. The white tiger knew that the only thing preventing Tygra from getting out to the courtyard and train the entire day was Jareid's constant vigilance of him.

Tygra was apparently trying to not attach himself emotionally to the situation. He didn't want to think about cubs and developing stages. He couldn't deal with the notion of a miscarriage and he was trying his damnest to block the word from his mind. He went on with the treatment and followed every instruction the High Shaman gave him, trying to go on through the motions without thinking too much, as if it was a regular treatment from a healer. But when he was told, after only a couple of days that they were going for a third try, he almost cracked.

Bengali wanted to wait more time for a third try. He knew that Tygra was very stressed and would likely collapse only from the anxiety he was trying to hide. The High Shaman however, considered that they could push their luck. If they waited too long they would have to suspend the hormonal treatment, and that would be a hazard for Tygra with the artificial womb still inside him.

They incremented the dose of hormones for Tygra, and added another medicine for his metabolism and to help him relax. Even so, Tygra was still trembling when they implanted the third embryo. His claws were making little punctures in the palms of his hands because of how tight he was clenching his fists. Ben had been short to sedate him. It was very hard to make Tygra relax a little.

Xiar wanted him to stay in the Shamans' wing this time, so they could monitor him and make sure that the embryo had implanted. Jareid protested that they didn't need Tygra to stay in the clinic for that. The High Shaman had been sure the previous time that the embryo had implanted, and that knowledge hadn't make a difference. So, after a couple of hours, Jareid took Tygra to his room with strict orders of what to give him and what the tiger could and could not do.

Tygra was pretty subdued. He tried to not move too much and stayed on his puff for the rest of the afternoon. Jareid looked at him worriedly when it was time for dinner.

"Tygra? Don't you want to eat?"

"I'm not really hungry. But I suppose I should eat."

"Here. I brought you some sandwiches."

Jareid offered his mate the plate with food and Tygra accepted it. He ate in silence while Jareid watched him. At the end, he left the plate on a nearby night table and sighed, rubbing his stomach in soothing circles.

"Are you ok?" Jareid asked. Tygra nodded slightly.

"I'm fine. It's just one more try. There's nothing yet."

He continued rubbing his navel. Jareid sat beside him and pulled him towards his body in a one armed hug.

"You're scared."

Tygra shivered and closed his eyes.

"What if this is wrong Jareid? What if something is trying to tell me that I'm not supposed to have this cub? That I made a mistake accepting this?"

"Shht. Don't say nonsense, Tygra. Male pregnancies are always difficult to achieve because of their very nature, not because some God doesn't want you to have cubs."

"But it's not natural. A male isn't supposed to get pregnant."

"So, we cheated a bit. Our shamans found a way to offer some cats the possibility to have a family of their own. I seriously doubt our Gods have something against that. It's very difficult, but many things in life are. That doesn't mean you have to renounce them."

Tygra sobbed. Even though he had tried to distance himself from the whole procedure, he still felt very conflicted. Jareid kissed his head and caressed his cheek.

"Don't give up yet Tygra. Many couples try this many times. It's going to end up well."

Tygra bit his lips hard and sighed. Why was he doing this? Was it really worth it?

Jareid lifted his chin and kissed him hungrily, desperately, with a passion and need that Tygra knew he wouldn't find in anyone else. He found himself responding to the kiss, reaching out to his mate's chest. They were two loneliness forced together, trying to make something else. Tygra had had no choice, but Jareid had. Jareid had always had. The jaguar prince had chosen Tygra above anyone else, and the tiger knew that there had been plenty of options for Jareid. Still, the jaguar had chosen him and Tygra felt the need to give something in return.

He felt the bite on his neck and relished in the dull pain it caused. He only knew that he somehow had chosen to accept it, and find solace and comfort in his mate's company. He wanted to create a real family. His family. And he'd keep trying, because there was nothing else for him. He couldn't be wrong on this. He had not left his home for nothing!

This time it was he the one to guide Jareid to the bed. He gave himself gladly, relishing in the feeling of being desired. To be taken with such passion, that could almost be mistaken for love.

* * *

Tygra woke to severe pain in his navel. He moaned and clutched his midsection as his inner muscles contracted.

No. For the spirits, not again! It had been a week! Not again! He had taken everything the High Shaman had prescribed! This shouldn't be happening!

He cried out and some tears escaped his eyes as another wave of pain hit him. The noise woke Jareid up and the jaguar prince was immediately crouching in front of the tiger.

"Tygra? What's wrong?"

"… Nnngh… stop it… make it stop, please…"

He cried again and curled into a tight ball. Jareid closed his eyes in resignation and went for the communicator, pushing the button that would alert Bengali.

It had been an entire week this time. Tygra had only been feeling a slight discomfort in his navel, and they had been told it was normal. He had had a fever two days past, but the Shamans had been able to fight it back. Tygra had followed the instructions given to him to the letter. Apparently his body didn't care.

Jareid wrapped Tygra with a sheet and made soothing noises while he carried his tiger to the clinic. Tygra was mostly lost in the pain, but he held to Jareid's shoulder for dear life. Bengali was already waiting for them in the clinic.

* * *

This time, Tygra cried. It had been the third time, and he couldn't keep the embryo safe within himself. No matter the medicines and the treatment he had taken, his body just wasn't capable to recognize that there was another life that was trying to grow inside him.

The shamans had drained his womb again and the pain had stopped, but he felt empty. The assurances that they had only tried three times, and that what was happening was expected because of his age, and because he was a male, were really not helping. If they were expecting him to miscarriage, why they kept trying to get him pregnant at all?

Jareid and Baal were discussing with Xiar and Bengali in the adjacent room. Tygra could hear the noise, but wasn't paying attention. He was lying on his right side, curling up in misery and feeling sorry for himself. At the moment he just wanted to sleep and never wake up.

The door opened and Jareid entered Tygra's assigned room, trying very hard to control the anger he was feeling. He looked at the tiger curled on the bed and immediately went to him. Baal, Xiar and Bengali entered behind him, none of them satisfied with how things were unfolding, but little could be done about it.

Jareid crouched in front of Tygra and caressed the stripped head, stroking the neck and shoulders too. He looked at the trails of tears on Tygra's face and kissed the crown of the tiger's forehead. A pained sob escaped Tygra and the teen looked up at his mate.

"I'm sorry…"

"Shht. None of this is your fault. I'm taking you home to recover."

Xiar had insisted that Tygra should be spending some time in the clinic, but Jareid had blatantly refused. He was frustrated and mad that his mate was hurting. He was not leaving Tygra into anyone's care. His mate needed some peace.

Xiar was frustrated as well. The youth's body was not responding as it should. He knew they needed to check Tygra thoroughly. There must be something wrong, and they were missing it, but it was near impossible to reason with Jareid.

"We really should try again as soon as possible." Xiar commented.

Tygra's eyes widened in panic, and he looked at Jareid pleadingly.

"No, please, not again…"

Jareid looked back at the High Shaman and roared in anger. If Tygra hadn't been grasping his arm he'd have attacked the older jaguar. Baal inserted himself in his son's line of view and looked at Xiar.

"We agreed to let him rest. You can start over again in six weeks. If the womb is indeed not functional by then, you'd replace it."

The High Shaman didn't like it, but they were achieving nothing with the way they were handling things. They needed to review the procedure and made the necessary adjustments. But a month and a half seemed too long to wait for another try.

Xiar ended up nodding to his king and Bengali approached the couple to check on Tygra. As soon as the white tiger said that the teen could be moved, Jareid lifted his mate and carried him out of the Shamans' wing.

Tygra felt dizzy, but didn't protest Jareid's handling. He wanted to be in their den, away from everyone, and perhaps cry himself to sleep.

* * *

Mai walked up to one of the service doors on the general area of the barracks. She despised to have to dwell in those places, but her choices had been severely limited. Damn her father! The cat just didn't understand! Jareid would never hurt her, he loved her!

Mai had convinced herself that her father was in lieu with the king and wanted her out of the way. It was as her mother had always said. Her father just didn't have vision, or ambition, at all. She wasn't going to leave things like that, she couldn't. They had no right to take Jareid from her! The alliance with the Thunderians was a joke. She was going to fight for her rightful place at Jareid's side. She was going to be queen, and no one was going to prevent it!

She reached the correct door and waited for a couple of minutes. A cloaked figure got out and looked around the place. Mai gave a step forwards to make her presence known and the other cat seemed to hesitate for a moment before approaching her. Once they were under the cover of some trees, the cat lowered the hood of the cloak, revealing a young jaguar, barely reaching his twenties, who looked very nervous.

"We really shouldn't be doing this, Mai. Why don't we go to the High Shaman? He could help us…"

"Don't be stupid Thao! All of them are set on the tiger having the cub, and we both know that he's not going to make it!"

"He could…"

"No, he can't! You have seen it, it's been three times already and his body is not accepting the pregnancy!"

"They still have time. It's long before the year is over."

"And you suppose they actually have the entire year? The cub has to be born before the year is over Thao! The terms of the ritual are very strict! They're not gonna make it. The tiger is a boy! Think about it Thao, his body is not going to resist the pressure. They are going to need a carrier anyway, and the more they wait, the more difficult it'd be for the cub to be born before they have to present it to the lion king!"

"But… I heard that prince Jareid is insisting that he doesn't want any carrier."

"He's going to change his mind when he's convinced that the tiger is not strong enough to carry a cub. You yourself said that he was hurting, and that this last time he was left very weak. How do you think he'd end up after the fourth miscarriage?"

Thao gulped. He was a recently initiated shaman, and he was helping with Tygra's pregnancy procedure as part of the support team. He had seen how bad Tygra had reacted to the third miscarriage. The tiger prince didn't want to continue. He had been too hurt. But they needed their heir. The High Shaman had clearly said that they only had a year. Without the heir, the mating would be dissolved.

Thao was a romantic at hearth. He had seen how much his prince had changed with Tygra and believed beyond doubt that the two of them were made for each other. If the mating was dissolved, prince Jareid was going to refuse to let Tygra go. It'd hurt them both and it'd be bad for the kingdom. Mai continued talking.

"Everyone knows that Jareid is not mentally stable. If loosing his mate pushes him over the edge, we'd be left without a sane heir. We mustn't let that to happen!"

"I… I still thing that we should talk to the High Shaman."

"No! Don't you see Thao? They are going to loose time! They want to please Jareid, and in doing so they're going to hurt the tiger prince badly. If we hurry, there'd be no need for a fourth time. No need to hurt him further. Tygra would be relieved, and Jareid is going to see that it's best this way. They'd have their heir, and Tygra would be able to wait a few more years before he tries for another cub. They'd be grateful that we thought about this."

Thao bit his lip in nervousness. He wasn't really sure about Mai's plan. He wanted to help the couple, especially since prince Tygra was taking a heavy toll and was afraid of another try. He just didn't like the idea of going behind the High Shaman's back. But Mai was right; everyone was focussed in getting Tygra pregnant and were disregarding the damage they were doing to the tiger prince. Besides, the probability of a successful male pregnancy in someone so young was low.

"Just think about this Thao, when they finally convince themselves that Tygra's body is not going to accept the pregnancy, it'd be too late to find another solution, and the tiger's suffering would have been for nothing!"

Thao groaned and passed a hand through his mane.

"Fine. Maybe you have a point. But you have to swear that you are going to give them the cub Mai."

"Of course. I don't have any wish to be a mother yet. This I'm going to do for my prince's sake."

"And you have to tell them as soon as you get the positive. You have to be recognized as the carrier for the cub to be the legal heir."

"Don't worry about it. Once I'm with cub, the High Shaman will know."

Thao still hesitated. Mai had to gently make him remember that Bengali was very worried about Tygra, and had in fact pressured for waiting the entire six weeks before making the fourth try. Tygra was getting ill. Even Thao could see it.

"Are you sure you only need the samples? I could prepare the embryo in the lab."

"Don't be silly, they'd catch you. They're not going to notice two samples gone. Besides, the palace's is not the only lab in the city."

"Fine."

Thao produced a small rectangular box. A special container to move biological samples. He gave it to his cousin with the most care.

"No one can know whose samples are these Mai! You can't tell anyone who are the parents!"

"No one is going to know, stop being paranoid! We are just helping our prince to keep his sanity intact. He won't suffer, and the kingdom won't suffer either."

"I hope so." Thao muttered under his breath.

He really, really hoped his cousin Mai to be right, and that they could help the princes. Something in his gut was still telling him that it was a very bad idea to go behind the High Shaman and Shaman Bengali's backs, but if they wanted to spare prince Tygra another hurtful miscarriage, they had to act as soon as possible. That was what Mai had said. Thao really had no reason to doubt his cousin's motives.

* * *

Mai arrived home and opened the small case. She frowned at the two tubes, which had no evident label on them. Maybe she should have asked Thao which was which one, but then the brat could get suspicious. It had taken her nearly a month to convince her cousin to get the samples for her. She couldn't have him doubting her now and going to the High Shaman before she had the chance to inseminate herself. Once she was with cub there'd be nothing anyone could do.

By law, every confirmed pregnancy had to be carried to the end. Terminating a pregnancy was severely punished. This was due to the low birth rate the jaguar clan had manifested in the last decade. It wasn't still too dangerous, but the council had declared that a preventative measure was to be in place. They couldn't afford to lower their numbers, after all.

Mai was going to make sure that many cats, the entire court if possible, would be aware of her pregnancy before going to the king. No one was going to have a chance to ruin her future with Jareid. She had considered to wait for the year to be over, since she was sure that the tiger was not going to get pregnant, but the king would simply order to name a carrier, so the mating would not be broken. She was not going to allow that to happen.

She considered the tubes in front of her. There had to be a label somewhere. She picked up one and examined it. There. Engraved in the side of the tube was a barely distinguishable legend. *Jar-1.02

She smiled. This must be Jareid's. She returned the tube to the case and got the other one out. She checked the legend on this one, just to be sure that the code was what she thought. This one read; *Ty-1.00

She nodded to herself and threw the tube away. She closed the case once more and called the Shaman she had consulted days before. The crown would be hers.

* * *

Tygra jumped from branch to branch on the thick canopy of the jungle, intent on getting away from the big and unfairly fast beast that was behind him. Where was that damned trap? It didn't help that it was raining, and the pouring water made the branches more slippery and dangerous than normal.

He almost lost his foot on one jump, and only the loud roar at his back made him continue jumping ahead. The trap should be somewhere around the area.

He got out his whip and used it to turn sharply to his left, just before a set of claws reached him. Then he heard the swipe of some branches and the furious roar of the beast at finding itself trapped under a heavy net and falling down the trees.

Tygra hung from his whip, and sighed in relief. That had been too close, he was loosing speed. He couldn't allow that to happen.

He found a suitable branch to step on, and then climbed down to join the rest of his team. By then his teammates had already slain the medium-sized beast and were busy butchering it.

One of the duties of the hunters was to provide fresh meat to the palace. Once in a while, the trainees were sent as bait for some predator. It was considered a good exercise.

Tygra got to the ground and his lieutenant checked him out for injuries while the others prepared the beast. Kab was a bit anxious over Tygra rejoining normal training. It'd be only for a couple of weeks, but it had been deemed necessary for the tiger to continue doing his life as usual. It had taken an entire week of fighting and begging to Jareid to allow him to rejoin the training. The jaguar prince was still too nervous and unwilling to let his mate out of his sight for long, much less to willingly send him to take part of dangerous activities. Bengali had helped Tygra to convince his stubborn mate and the tiger had no doubt that the recent claw marks on his right arm had helped to push the issue too. So, now there he was, in his usual routine, trying to forget that the past two months had ever happened.

He had begged to be the bait this time, and Kab had let him only because the teen would keep insisting and he was sure of Tygra's abilities. However, he had made the tiger swear that he was not going to ever mention to Jareid what he had done. The jaguar prince would kill the entire team if he knew they had let Tygra be the bait for the hunt.

Kab made sure that the young cat had not been injured, and asked him how he had felt. It was the first time in weeks that Tygra was doing heavy exercise. Besides, everyone was very aware that the tiger had undergone the surgery to have a womb, and even if the pregnancy had not taken, he still had a "new organ" to get into account. The young tiger did feel more tired than usual, and was starting to sense some pain in his midsection, but it was nothing to worry about, so he assured his trainer that he was fine. Once sure that Tygra was not harmed, Kab focussed on supervising the preparation of their prey and then its transport to the palace.

* * *

The entire team took a quick shower in the barracks, though Tygra wasn't sure why. It was pouring anyway. They were already soaked and they'd remain that way until they'd get proper cover from the rain.

There were some other cats around, mingling and waiting for the storm to calm down a bit before venturing outside again. The majority of the jaguars didn't mind a good soak, but too much water made anyone a bit moody, and it had been raining non-stop for four days already.

Tygra stood at the threshold of the entrance and looked at the rain. He unconsciously started to rub his navel. The pain was still there, but it was dying out. Xalu approached him and asked if he was feeling all right. Tygra scowled. His team had been treating him differently. It was not evident, but the tiger just knew that they had toned down the training. They had been worried when he had offered to be the bait and had tried to dissuade him. They asked how he was feeling at least once every day and they fell into certain patterns when they were doing team practice to end up technically protecting him. It was annoying Tygra, but he didn't believe they were doing it on purpose.

He sighed and nodded to his friend, then turned to see if the rest of the team was finished. He almost rolled his eyes when he noticed that he was practically surrounded by his teammates. They were not over him, but sitting and standing in various positions all over the place, close enough to form a semicircle around the tiger. He groaned under his breath and for a moment he wondered if a female had to put on with this behaviour. It was really annoying.

Another group of cats walked towards the entrance at that moment, and Tygra moved to the side to let them pass. Then the fur on his neck stood on end and he let go a low growl. Mao was part of the new group and was looking at him with disgust written in his entire face. Tygra tried to ignore him and looked towards Xalu, who had noticed the tiger's reaction and was subtly putting himself between Tygra and the group of older cats that were heading out of the barracks.

Mao stopped and smirked derisively in Tygra's direction. Xalu growled. The group that was with Mao stooped too and one of them tried to pull the cat away. Mao didn't move. He just couldn't pass the opportunity to hurt his rival.

"How's the pregnancy going Tygra? Oh, right! You can't give our prince an heir, isn't that so? You simply are not qualified for it."

Tygra growled and turned towards the offending cat, one hand on his navel and the other with claws out, ready to try and took out the other's eyes. He, however, stopped short at what happened. Suddenly, his entire team was between he and Mao, growling menacingly at the older cat, who seemed surprised by the reaction. Two of Mao's group grabbed the jaguar by the arms and dragged their companion out of the barracks without giving the training hunters a second glance. Someone was beside Tygra immediately. The young tiger felt a hand on his lower back doing soothing movements. Xalu turned on him and asked again if he was all right.

Tygra just stared owlishly at his teammates for a couple of seconds. They were all looking anxiously at him, and it was evident that they wanted to make sure he was fine. Then he scowled and crossed his arms.

"Are you aware that I could very well have fought Mao myself if I'd needed to? I'm very capable to hold him off!"

He conveniently forgot the one time Mao had attacked him. No one needed to be aware of that. His teammates looked unsure for a moment and Xalu shrugged.

"Of course you can."

"Then why are you all protecting me?" He asked, somewhat frustrated.

There was confused scuffling around him and Xalu was just opening his mouth, but almost immediately closed it and scowled. He had meant to say, _'Because of your condition'_ but he had realized on time that it was a bad idea. Besides, what condition exactly? Tygra was not pregnant. There was no way in hell that Jareid would have allowed his mate to rejoin training if he was. They had been told that they may have to go easy on Tygra the first day of training, but the tiger seemed to be on his usual top form. The youth had just been the bait in a hunt, for the spirits sake! Albeit the entire team had opposed strongly to the idea, the tiger had done it just the same, and he had been fine.

There really was no need for them to be worried about him.

Tygra looked as his teammates seemed to realize for the first time what they had been doing. After some moments, one of them, named Aleph, just said.

"Well, our instinct just got the better of us. We are a prowl after all."

Tygra continued scowling.

"Instinct? For what? I'm not the weakest of the group and I'm not hurt! You didn't act like this when I rejoined training after my leg had been shredded to bits! There's no reason why you'd have to pull this on now!"

The teens looked at each other in confusion. There really was no apparent reason for them to be acting protectively with Tygra. He was the second best in their group and could take care of himself. However, they still felt the compulsion to shield him from any possible threats. Xalu shrugged and then asked.

"Are you sure you're not hurt Tygra?"

"Of course I am!"

"Really? Because there must be something calling to us. Our instinct is telling us that we need to protect you. There has to be a reason!"

Tygra pressed his lips in a tight line. His right hand automatically went to his navel. He caught himself on the movement and forced his hand down, clenching his fist. No. He didn't want to even think about it. Xalu got closer to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Look, maybe you should go to the Shamans, just to be sure. Our collective instinct is trying to tell us something, it's not wise to dismiss it."

Tygra bit his lower lip and nodded. He was going to see Bengali the next day anyway. It had been three weeks since he had stopped the treatment and the white tiger wanted to check if his metabolism and his hormones were stable again.

They waited a few more minutes before getting out into the rain and run to their respective dwellings. Two of them accompanied Tygra to the palace, and then went on their ways.

* * *

The halls and corridors of the palace were almost deserted. Tygra found a couple of servants on his way to the Royal apartments. One of them gave him a towel and he used it to get the excess water off from his fur. He needed another shower, and then dry himself entirely or he would get a cold.

He turned a corner with the towel on his face, and walked straight into someone. The collision was not hard, but Tygra's momentum almost provoked him to fell tangled up on the other cat, who thankfully regained equilibrium and could keep them both on their feet. Tygra put the towel down and looked up with an apology on his lips. He froze when he found himself in front of an amused Saixa. The female was taller than him for a few inches, and that alone made Tygra very conscious of his own age.

"Sorry Ma'am."

Saixa chuckled and winked at him.

"Not to worry sweetheart. Actually, I was looking for you."

Tygra raised an eyebrow. He hadn't had any good encounters with anyone of Jareid's lovers. He had never crossed paths with Saixa before, but he knew she was the daughter of one of the counsellors. He also had heard that she had been one of Jareid's favourites and many in the court had been sure that she was going to be, if not the queen at least a consort. Tygra steeled himself mentally. It won't be the first time one of Jareid's lovers wanted to make their displeasure known to him.

"What for? I don't think we have any issues to talk about."

"Well, not an 'issue' per se. But the fact that you are now Jareid's mate, makes it necessary for me to have a chat with you."

Tygra looked at her cautiously, waiting for her to start complaining or demanding something.

"Why?"

"You see, I used to enjoy my little escapades with Jareid. He's really good in bed, and frankly much better than the rest of the cats. Only he has been able to keep my rhythm, if you know what I'm talking about."

She winked in conspiracy at him. Tygra was bright red. He didn't want to imagine Saixa and Jareid in bed! Why everyone insisted on bothering him with that? Saixa ignored his discomfort and kept talking.

"But besides that… well, he's the heir. That's a huge point to his favour. I was really disappointed to know that he'd been betrothed to you. I think I had a real chance to win him over. I know that he doesn't like partners that are too dominant, but we worked pretty well. Really, the only real competence I was counting on was Shaman Bengali."

Tygra's eyes widened for a second, but then he nodded. He too would have thought that Bengali could have been in line to be Jareid's mate if the white tiger would have wanted. Saixa smiled and proceeded.

"But that's in the past! A coincidence, called war, brought you here and now you two are mated. Nothing to be done about that, since neither of you chose to be in this situation. Like I said, I was disappointed, but I thought that I could continue having my fortuities encounters. I mean, come on, everyone was sure that Jareid would go on as always!"

She sighed. Tygra was a bit uncomfortable.

"However, he didn't. I confess I was shocked. Never before had Jareid rejected me, and suddenly he just stood there and gave me the proverbial finger. Twice! One of them I was completely naked in front of him, let me tell you."

Tygra blushed again and groaned. Why him?

"I was very angry. I even went and told my parents about Jareid's rejection. And you know what happened? They scolded me! Dad made me promise that I won't do anything to jeopardize your mating! I was beyond upset!"

Tygra felt shocked. It was weird. This didn't sound entirely like a complaint. He reminded himself to not loose track of Saixa's movements. He still didn't know what she expected to achieve with telling him all this.

"I had a long chat with my parents. They pointed out a few things that I had frankly overlooked. To get to the point, they made me see why Jareid has to have you with him. I was a bit sceptical, but I've been observing the prince more attentively, and I can't deny that he has changed so much. It's creepy really, but apparently good and in everyone's interest, so… Here is when I have to appeal to you."

Tygra was feeling a bit scared. Saixa didn't seem to want to attack him, but he wasn't sure of what exactly she wanted.

"I… mmmh… I think I'm not getting it…"

"Listen, I have certain goals in life, but very limited choices to accomplish them. I was raised to be a proper lady and a courtesan, and as such there are certain expectations that are not to my liking. My mother never allowed me to have any training for the forces, or try the test to be a Shaman, or have any other studies than those related to housekeeping and the basic education. She said a proper lady couldn't be too independent. It's not becoming for a lady of the palace to know how to fight or how to handle a weapon. A lady only has to know how to manage a house and how to look pretty and proper in front of guests, never mind that she has a limited choice of themes to make conversation. I, of course, read some books behind her back, and I started to get laid at fifteen, just to spite her."

For a moment Tygra sympathized with her. The noble families tended to be very strict in the roles the female and male should follow. Sometimes they were ridiculous in the ways they enforced the raising of their cubs.

"On the other hand, my family had always been ambitious. I have to be a lady of the court, and a highly respected one. My mother's definition of success is for me to find a mate of noble birth whose family has a higher standing than ours. My father insists in that the social standing that we already have should not be lost, and is starting to pressure me to mate before I hit thirty.

"When they learned about my affair with Jareid, they didn't bat an eye. It was a scandal, yes, but it was Jareid. Father even tried to betroth us. He was furious when the king said that he was not betrothing his son, unless Jareid asked for it. Of course, Jareid wasn't interested."

She chuckled and Tygra shook his head in incredulity. Jareid really had been given too much leeway in the palace.

"I thought for a time that it'd be better if I stopped looking for Jareid. But to be frank, he was the best prospect for mate. At least for me. Not only he's the heir, and future king and head of the clan. He also didn't give a damn if I kept flirting with whoever I wanted to. He could care less if I was a proper lady or not, and he had no interest in dictate what I was supposed to do with my free time. Jareid had never seriously looked for a mate, but he'd have to choose one sooner or later. I'm totally convinced that he'd have chosen his mate on a pure convenience basis. I was striving to be the most convenient choice. I was also perfectly aware that there'd be no fidelity or love between us, and I even considered the role of concubine. I'd still have social standing, and no obligation to find a 'proper' mate."

Tygra nodded. It was a sound plan. Many females in the palace and some males had had some variation of it. But this was the first time that he heard it described aloud as it was. A plan. Not a dramatic tale of lost love and treachery. It surprised Tygra the fact that Saixa had been the only one of Jareid's lovers that didn't fancy themselves deeply in love with the prince, and/or convinced that Jareid was equally in love with them. In a way that made him more open to the jaguaress.

"Then, you came into the picture and moved things around. I wasn't too worried. I figured I'd stick to the role of consort. It's really more appealing for me. A consort doesn't have the duty to give the king an heir, though is expected to help in the raising. I wouldn't mind that. Now though, I'm encountering problems that I didn't expect. The bigger one is that Jareid is not the same."

Tygra sighed. Here it came. The real rant. He should be used by now.

"The Jareid I knew would never have rejected a naked cat in his bed. The Jareid I knew didn't have any idea of what fidelity means! I couldn't believe that he had changed so much until he ejected me out of his office. But now, I have thought things through. Jareid is acting more like a responsible adult; I suppose maturity caught up to him at last, so I should act differently too. I was raised a courtesan, I know how to adapt. So, here's the deal. I'm not giving up on Jareid yet. He's my only chance to not having a stuck up mate who'd want me a recluse in the house or at our rooms, looking pretty for the walls and the service. I want to be a consort."

Tygra raised an eyebrow. He felt very weird.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"You're Jareid's mate. You are important to him. I really have no idea how you did it, maybe it's just a phase, but for the first time in ages, Jareid actually cares for his partner. For you. And it's you the one I need to get on Jareid's good graces again."

Tygra gaped at her. The nerve of the woman! This was not your average 'Lady of the court.'

"What?"

"Look, at the moment Jareid is not going to give me even a second glance. That much is perfectly clear, but there is still something I can use to get him interested again. That is the fact that you need to have an heir before the year is over, or there'd be no more mating. Now, I know that he wants you to carry him, and that would be ideal, but you haven't been successful so far, do you?"

Tygra was uncomfortable again, but he saw no reason to deny the truth. He made a quiet gesture of agreement. Saixa grinned.

"There's nothing wrong with you. It's only that you're young. A successful male pregnancy is hard enough as it is, it becomes harder the younger the carrier is. Ideally they would have let you finish your growth, but the terms of your mating combined with Jareid's personality don't give much choice. It's safer if you have a female carrier, both for you and the cub, and it won't interfere with the mating. I want you to consider me for the job."

Tygra blinked, utterly baffled at her request.

"Why are you asking me? Jareid is really the one that is taking the decision. He is the one insisting on not having a consort. He is the one with the choice anyway. He is the dominant."

"Oh, sweet. I don't think you have an idea of how much power you have over Jareid right now."

Tygra gaped incredulously at her.

"Sorry?"

"Dear, Jareid is well and truly besotted with you! I've never seen him like that! I mean, he let you bite his neck! I haven't noticed it until father pointed it out. He's mad for you! Believe me, whatever you ask of him, he's going to give you. Anything!"

Tygra shook his head in bewilderment.

"I don't think it'd work."

"Trust me. If you ask him to find a carrier for your cub he'd do it. He's pretty much worried about you now. I've been observing you both."

"But, I thought you weren't interested in having cubs?"

"Well, it's not going to be 'mine.' It's going to be your cub. That's why I'm seeing it as a job. I can help you to raise him, and I can provide milk for it. Even if Jareid doesn't want to recognize me as a consort, I'd have been the carrier of his cub, and socially it'd be almost the same. If I don't want to find a mate, no one would open their mouths about it."

Tygra looked at the jaguaress, considering her in a new light. All that she wanted was to be rid of the expectations her social standing had placed on her. It had been the most honesty that Tygra had gotten from anyone in the court.

He bit his lower lip. He didn't know what to say. He wasn't sure he wanted a carrier at all, and he didn't know her enough to consider her as a suitable option. He wasn't even sure if she was being sincere. Saixa seemed to guess his dilemma and smirked at him.

"Just think about it sweet. You still have time before your next try, I think. We should get to know each other better. How about that? I'd love to chat with you some more! No one says we can't be friends."

Tygra ended up accepting her offer to talk again. He even promised to think about her proposition. Maybe he'd talk with Jareid about her. She was exuberant and stubborn, but maybe he could get on with her.

The only thing he was still uncomfortable about, was that he wasn't sure anymore if he really minded Jareid picking up a consort or not.

* * *

Tygra was on his puff that evening, reading a book with Snarf at his side.

It was odd. Lately the little critter had taken to wait for him at the door of his rooms and curl up with him while he read or worked on his desk. The pet wouldn't leave his side until Jareid would arrive. Tygra had asked Lion-O if he had put Snarf to it, but his brother had denied any part on the pet's actions. The tiger figured that Snarf just liked his set of rooms, and let the pet be. He was getting used to the creature's company.

He was focused on his reading when Jareid arrived and pulled the book from his hands.

"Hey! I was reading that!"

"Was. Is in the past."

Tygra pouted and Jareid knelt beside the puff in such a way that his head was looming over Tygra's.

"Say, someone told me that Saixa spoke to you. Is that true?"

"Well, yes."

Jareid's eyes narrowed and he snarled.

"Did she attack you in any way?"

"No. She rather explained how she had to change her big plan to be the next queen because of me."

"But she didn't insult you or try to belittle you."

"No. Actually, I think she's the only one of your lovers that has acknowledged me as your mate."

"Past lovers. All of them are in the past, where they belong."

He kissed his tiger tenderly and started to massage the teen's neck.

"So, she didn't lie and told you how much in love she is with me?"

"No. Though she did say that you rejected a very naked her once."

"Well, I did. She doesn't smell right anymore. She's not you."

Jareid continued trailing kisses along Tygra's jaw and neck. The teen purred. It felt rather nice to be pampered so much.

"You still smell delicious."

"Nnn… It's been three weeks since I stopped taking the hormones. My odour should be back to normal."

"Normally, you smell delicious for me."

Suddenly, Jareid closed his arms around Tygra and lifted him out of the puff, sucking the tiger's neck at the same time.

"Aw! Damn it, Jareid!"

"Mine… only mine…"

Jareid took Tygra to the bed to continue grooming him. Snarf stretched out and then decided to continue sleeping on the puff. No one in the room seemed to mind anyway.

* * *

Jareid sat at the edge of his desk in his office, an annoyed scowl on his face. He did not appreciate Saixa trying to manipulate Tygra, and he intended to let the jaguaress know it. His mate had told him what the female wanted, and though Jareid had been impressed that she had been clever enough to approach the tiger, he also was furious she had done it behind his back. She had waited the entire year to make her move, why couldn't she have stayed quiet?

Tygra had not gotten too involved with the court, preferring to evade the gossip as much as he could. Jareid would keep him away from every one of the nobles if possible, but he was aware that his mate had to learn the comings and goings of the court eventually. As much as Jareid would like his tiger free of the nobles' influence, reality was that he had to gain those nobles' favour to rule them without problems.

In a way, Saixa could be useful. She was not only a member of one of the most renowned families. She also knew the court and how to move in it. She was skilful with her tongue and always managed to move around gossip and even direct it in the way she wanted. She also knew enough politics and diplomacy to make the most pompous males nervous and wary in her presence. She was a female that liked power and had a strong enough will to fight for it. Many males felt threatened in front of her.

Jareid had honestly never understood why the males of the court were freaked out around Saixa. Sure, she was more direct and dominant than the other 'ladies' of the court, but she was still a female. An interesting one at that. She had been his favourite not only for her skills in bed, but also because she could actually talk about other things apart from empty romance dreams and gossip. If Jareid had ever found himself pressured to find a mate, he'd have chosen her, solely for the fact that she was the only one of his past lovers that he found tolerable to be around outside of the bedroom.

But that would never be the case anymore. He had been given his tiger. He had established a family of his own and was working to create a deeper bond between himself and his mate. One that would include their future cubs. He won't have interference in any way! And Saixa was smart enough to pose a real danger.

The jaguaress entered the office and walked with her usual confidence towards the desk. Even when she could see that her prince was definitely not happy, she maintained her posture. She was not going to be put down. Her only chance to get what she wanted was to stand up to Jareid. She was not one of those grovelling idiots that thought that they'd get on their prince's good graces by letting him step all over them. Neither was she afraid of Baal's retribution if Jareid complained about her. She had realized that crude honesty worked better with the prince than empty praises.

Jareid was already growling lowly when she stopped in front of him, respecting an ample circle of personal space, for safety purposes.

"So, your servant told me that you wanted to see me. Have you changed your mind?"

"I only want to make clear one thing Saixa. Stay away from Tygra!"

"Oh dear, are you jealous?"

"Don't be ridiculous! I know you're not flirting with him. Not in a sexual way at least. If I had the barest suspicion that you were, I'd have taken out your hearth by now! What I don't want is you getting ideas into his head! I've told you before, I don't want a consort! So get that into your thick skull already!"

"Fine, not a consort. But what about a carrier?"

"We don't need a carrier for our cub!"

"Really? Jareid, are you even looking at your mate? I know you're stubborn, but what is going to take for you to see that he's too young to be pregnant?"

"He's strong enough!"

"It's not a matter of strength! Look Jareid, you know what I want. You've always known what is my goal, and what I'm willing to do to achieve it. I only want to make a deal. I want to help you both."

"We don't need any help Saixa." Jareid hissed, but the jaguaress insisted.

"It's been three months Jareid. He has had three miscarriages already. Do you have any idea of how much that can hurt?"

"He's recovering quickly. He has already rejoined hunter's training." He didn't mention how much he himself had fought against the very idea of Tygra putting foot into the jungle so soon after the third miscarriage. He didn't want to give Saixa any more ammunition; she certainly didn't need it.

"I'm not talking about physical damage, though that can too be severe. I'm talking about his mind."

Jareid felt a bit disturbed that Saixa had mentioned Bengali's concern. He only snarled at the idea, but he knew he could not dismiss it.

"Loosing a cub is devastating, Jareid. Even if he's trying to detach himself from the procedure, he's not going to be able to put it aside completely."

"He has not been really pregnant yet. The shamans said that the bunch of cells had never even implanted."

"That may be true, but the '_bunch of cells_' has been inside him. Maybe he hasn't had enough time to bond with those cells, but the point is that he hasn't managed to keep them inside long enough for them to develop into a real cub."

Jareid growled again. It pissed him off that Saixa could understand the situation so well. The female risked a couple of steps forwards.

"Let him grow up and mature Jareid. I'm sure he'd be able to carry more cubs when he has reached his full growth. Meanwhile, you only need this first cub to prevent the Thunderians from trying to get him back. It doesn't really matter who carries the cub, only that it is your son. Yours and Tygra's."

Jareid turned away. He didn't want to. His fantasy had always been having cubs with his mate. A carrier would mean another person to include in the first years of their cub. It was interference for him. But he could not deny that he was worried about Tygra. Saixa sighed.

"Look, just consider it. I promise I'd give you the cub with no attachments involved. I won't interfere with the raising if you don't want me to. You know I only need to climb a bit more in the social ladder. That'd be enough for me."

Of course. That was all Saixa had ever wanted. Social status. To climb high enough to be seen as unobtainable. High enough for her parents, and the rest of her family, to consider a disadvantage to mate her to a noble that would unavoidably be below her, and stop pestering her. Jareid only grunted and crossed his arms. Saixa turned around to leave.

"My offer is open Jareid. Just have in mind that time is passing by. If Tygra gets pregnant it'd only be six months before the cub has to be born, but a female will last the entire seven months of gestation. Think about it."

She was gone with the same air of confidence she entered with. Jareid leaned back and supported himself on his extended arms. He didn't like the idea. He didn't want any carrier, but the fact was that he might have to consider the possibility.

But beyond what he wanted, there was one little detail that Saixa had not noticed. She didn't know Tygra, and all her deductions were the result of good observation. Jareid though, knew his tiger enough to have pointed out some of Tygra's quirks. He knew that one of the tiger's major issues was his fear of failure. No matter how much stress it'd imply, if Tygra ended up not being able to carry this first cub, Jareid was sure that it'd only mean a big failure for his mate.

* * *

The end of the next week found Tygra anxious. He had been feeling weird the past days, restless and moody. A week ago, Bengali had frowned at his hormonal profile and had said that it wasn't at normal levels yet. He still had female hormones in his blood and Bengali hadn't liked it. However, Tygra had said that he was fine, and had not been having any troubles, so the white tiger had decided to wait for the month to finish to do another scan before he alarmed the entire palace.

Tygra had told his teammates that his pheromones were still crazy and they had relaxed, but the protective behaviour didn't go away. Even Kab had joined in, and wouldn't let Tygra do anything strenuous or overly dangerous after the 'bait exercise'.

Jareid had been very caring, and Tygra had found himself itching for his mate's touch. He couldn't explain that sudden need. He only knew that as soon as his mate was close he wanted to be hugged, and kissed, and touched. It was almost as if he were finally feeling the symptoms of being in heat. He didn't like that notion, because it meant that his hormones were not back to normal, besides the fact that he wasn't fond of the idea of being _in heat_.

He sighed, touching his navel as he walked down the hall. He had been waking up with an upset stomach for three days in a row, and had lost his appetite at breakfast. That kind of worried him. He couldn't be getting sick. Not with a strange female organ inside him and female hormones running through his bloodstream. There was no way to tell how his body would react if he fell ill.

Alas, he hoped that Bengali could give him good news the next day. His body had to be stabilized and well enough to try the implantation again in two weeks. Male pregnancies lasted around six months, but Tygra was aware that time was running short for them.

He continued walking almost absently down the hall when a known female voice called him.

"Hey Tygra, sweet! Wait for me!"

The tiger prince sighed and turned around to look at Saixa running towards him. The girl had not given up, even after Jareid's threats and warnings for her to stay away. She met with Tygra in the halls of the palace almost every day. The tiger didn't mind too much. She was good company. She knew how politics around the palace and the court worked and every single member of the noble families. If she had been a male she'd have already been prepared to take her father's place in the council. Tygra had found her talks interesting and her ideas realistic. She really should have been a counsellor.

Both of them were slowly warming to each other, but Jareid still didn't like the idea of her spending too much time with Tygra. He demanded every night to be told exactly what Saixa had talked about with his tiger. Tygra had assured his mate that they only talked about politics and other diplomatic things. The subject of cubs had not been mentioned again. Jareid would only growl and mumble under his breath.

Tygra had the impression that Saixa was starting to act a bit odd around him. Almost like an older sister, but he couldn't be sure.

He shook his head to rid it from that notion and looked at the female already in front of him.

"Hey sweet! Back from training already? It's still early!"

Tygra scoffed and looked out one of the windows at the sun still high in the sky.

"Yeah, well. Lieutenant Kab decided that I shouldn't be swimming in the river for now. I don't know what's gotten into him!"

Saixa's nostrils moved minutely and she cocked her head to the side.

"Well, you do smell a bit off. Must be the hormones still rampaging in your system. Are you feeling all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine! I'm perfectly fine! Why everyone keeps asking me the same question? What do I smell like?"

Saixa leaned closer and sniffed. Her brows furrowed in confusion.

"I'd say you smell of Jareid. But there's something else there. I can't really put my finger on it."

"Great!" He said in frustration. He really hoped that Bengali could fix whatever the problem was. Just then, another voice was heard in the hall and both cats turned towards it.

"Saixa! I told you to back off!"

"Oh, Jareid! We're only talking, that's not a crime! Isn't he allowed to have friends?"

Jareid was about to throw in her face that friendship was not what she wanted, when Tygra all but hung himself from the jaguar's neck and started to purr. Jareid instantly calmed down and looked in confusion at a very amorous Tygra, who was rubbing his face on the older prince's neck.

"What did you do to him?"

"Hey, don't look at me! He was perfectly fine until you arrived! And what are you complaining about? Surely he shows affection once in a while. Even to you."

Jareid bared his teeth at her.

"Yes! But never in public."

Tygra was always berating him whenever he so much as kissed him in public. And now it was the tiger the one that was all over him! Quite literally.

"It can be a side-effect of the hormones." Said Saixa. Jareid frowned.

"He's not taking them anymore."

"That does not meat they are entirely gone from his system."

Jareid cocked his head and considered it. It had been a month, but Bengali had asked for six weeks for Tygra's metabolism to go entirely back to normal. Besides, Tygra still had that delightful smell around him. It was not driving Jareid crazy anymore; something had changed about it. But the fact was that it was still there.

"It could be… Ow! Tygra!"

The tiger was nibbling Jareid's neck and trying to climb on the jaguar's body. The older prince was very amused, but as much as he was enjoying his mate's antics, he knew that the tiger was going to be very ashamed later. He lifted Tygra a little, holding his waist, and grabbed the nape of the stripped neck to stop the teen for a moment.

"You're aware that Saixa is right here in front of us?"

Tygra growled and shook his head to free himself from Jareid's grasp. His legs went up and around the jaguar's waist and he got a firmer hold on his mate's shoulders.

"She can go find her own mate." He declared and then kissed Jareid's lips passionately.

The jaguar prince's confusion lasted a second. Then, he adjusted his hold on Tygra's hips and started to walk as Tygra continued kissing his jaw and nibbling his ear.

"You heard him Saixa. Now, if you excuse us."

"Where are you going?"

"Where do you think? This is too good an opportunity to let it pass!"

The jaguaress looked with a mixture of amusement and envy as Jareid walked away carrying Tygra. Then, she turned around, shaking her head in bewilderment.

* * *

Tygra eventually regained his senses and was ashamed and embarrassed as hell at the way he had acted. Jareid assured him that Saixa didn't mind. He even brought the jaguaress to Tygra's room to tell the tiger that there hadn't been a problem. Tygra just groaned and hid in the bedroom's puff. Saixa left, telling Jareid that it was the hormones, and that he should let Tygra be.

The jaguar prince was confused at the tiger's behaviour. He talked to Bengali, but the shaman told him the same as Saixa, to let Tygra be. Even when the tiger absolutely refused to show his face at diner. Tygra was very put out at his public behaviour and decided that Bengali better find a solution, or he wasn't going out of his rooms ever again!

Jareid thought that he was exaggerating, but wisely, for once, kept his mouth shut and enjoyed diner in his rooms with his mate.

The next morning, Jareid woke up with Tygra cuddling in his arms. He kissed and started to groom the tiger's head, purring softly. Tygra had an appointment with Bengali to check his hormones' levels and had begged Jareid to leave him alone for it. Jareid hadn't liked the idea, but he had many things that needed to be done, so he had had to concede under the promise that Bengali would tell him immediately if something was amiss.

Tygra started to purr under his mate's attentions and Jareid smiled. His tiger had been acting weird, but as long as that weirdness included to be aroused by Jareid's presence, the jaguar didn't mind so much. Though he was concerned that Tygra was also suffering anxiety attacks from time to time, and heat spells that made the tiger sweat and felt like he was being cooked alive. He really didn't like the fact that Bengali was worried and trying to not show it. He wanted to know what was wrong with his mate.

He hugged his tiger tightly and Tygra mumbled something unintelligible. Then, the youth groaned and took a hand to his stomach. Jareid was instantly alarmed and moved to loom over Tygra as the teen opened his eyes, woken by whatever discomfort had hit him.

"Tygra? What's the matter? Are you in pain?"

The tiger groaned and made an uncomfortable gesture. Both hands were on his stomach and started to rub circles to soothe himself.

"Not pain… I just feel nauseous."

Jareid went to find a glass of water and helped Tygra to drink. The teen calmed down, feeling better, and cuddled again against Jareid's side. His left hand never left his stomach and Jareid hugged him with one arm while with his other hand he started to play with the short mane. Tygra was purring again in no time. Jareid loved to have Tygra content and relaxed with him, but he was worried about the youth's health.

"Maybe you caught a stomach bug?"

Tygra sighed and barely shook his head.

"Don't think so… My stomach just feels funny on the mornings. I'm not throwing up, or have any other problems."

"And the fever spells?"

"They only happened twice. Ben says that they are an effect of the hormones. Though he also says that I shouldn't have them. I think I'm confusing him as hell."

"Well, he better know how to fix it."

"Don't be mad with Ben. He's helping me so much."

"I know." He kissed Tygra's forehead tenderly. "I just worry about you. A mate does that."

"You exaggerate when you worry. That's not good."

"Let me be." Jareid tightened his hold a little and Tygra moaned. "I finally have you. I'm not letting you go for anything."

The tiger sighed and rubbed his stomach absently, thinking about a cub that he might never have. Suddenly a sob escaped him, and Jareid looked down at him in alarm.

"Tygra? What's wrong?"

The teen sniffed, pretty much embarrassed now.

"I… I don't know, I just… feel so weird… Jareid, what if I can't have a cub? What happens then?"

Jareid moved and took Tygra's head into his hands, looking directly at the brilliant brown eyes.

"You're scared."

Tygra gulped. He couldn't say anything, he just pressed his lips and tried to get himself under control. Jareid kissed him desperately and then held him tightly against the broader chest.

"You belong with me. I'd never allow anyone to take you away!"

Tygra couldn't suppress a sob. He didn't know why he was suddenly so afraid to be sent back to Thundera. To a family and a kingdom that would be disappointed in him. To be his brother's shadow again. Jareid kissed his head and his hold became almost desperate.

"Just try it this one more time. Just one more time. If it doesn't make it, I'd get a carrier for us. I promise." Saixa was right after all. It didn't matter who got to carry the cub. Only that it was theirs.

Tygra nodded. No turning back. Jareid was his family now. Whether he had wanted it or not. And he had realized that he didn't want his efforts to be for nothing. He had struggled long enough to fit with Jareid. They were not changing the rules on him now.

* * *

Tygra sat on the examination table while Bengali frowned at his results for the hormone profile. The white tiger didn't look happy and Tygra was getting worried.

"You told me that you're waking up because your stomach feels uncomfortable?"

"More like I want to be sick. But I never actually throw up. It's just the sensation."

Bengali sighed and put the results down.

"You have pregnancy hormones in your bloodstream." He confessed bluntly. Tygra blinked at him in astonishment.

"Sorry?"

"You have the hormone profile of someone pregnant. I waited for the week to pass because I thought that there could be something wrong with the machine. It has been a while since the last maintenance for the equipment. But the results haven't changed."

Tygra looked owlishly at his friend. He didn't know what to feel.

"… But… How? I mean… You 'cleaned' me up the last time. You said I had nothing left inside me."

"We didn't 'clean' you up. We didn't cut your navel open and scrubbed your insides meticulously! We only provided the channel that your body lacks, so the blood that was pooling in your womb could be drained. We used the scanner to be sure that all the liquid was gone, but we didn't disturb the womb anymore than that."

Tygra fidgeted nervously on his seat.

"So… what does it means?"

"You are producing pregnancy hormones, so one of the embryos must have implanted after all. We should verify with the scanner, but at this stage it'd be difficult to see if it's in fact developing, as it should, or just growing in size and not really differentiating. There's still the chance that your body is playing tricks with us."

Tygra bit his lips and his hands went to cover his belly.

"But the lining was shed. If I were a female I would have menstruated. Isn't that harmful for the… embryo?" He resisted the urge to say cub. Bengali sounded as if he still doubted the results. The shaman shook his head.

"It's a possibility, but it does happen on occasion. Some females still have their cycle, even pregnant. Though it's very rare. I think the reason why your womb wouldn't stabilize was that you were under a lot of pressure, and we never stopped giving you the hormones. We should have given you more time to adjust, but Xiar wanted to hurry. Baal has been very insistent and that puts the High Shaman on edge."

Tygra nodded and started rubbing circles on his stomach.

"So… what now?"

Ben smiled reassuringly at him.

"We have to confirm that there is in fact a developing embryo inside you. Let's wait until the six weeks are over, so we'd have a better chance to distinguish how's it doing. It should be a foetus already."

Tygra felt calmer and smiled. Bengali patted his back.

"It's going to be fine. You'd see. Do you want to call Jareid?"

Tygra's eyes widened and he shook his head.

"No, I… Maybe we should wait? Just until you can confirm with the scanner?"

"Is there something wrong?" Ben asked, one eyebrow rose in concern.

"No, just… Well, Jareid is worried about me, and I think he wants this to work so much more than me. I don't want to give him false hopes. Besides, I'm doing the normal training. He's going to flip if he realizes I could have been pregnant all this time!"

"Oh, yes. The training. That could be a problem. Fortunately there hadn't been any bad incidents."

Bengali sighed, and thought about the jaguar prince. Jareid was going to be over the moon if Tygra was indeed pregnant, but that meant that he also was going to be fastidiously overprotective. Even more than he already was. There was also the fact that Tygra was going to have to be more careful with his activities. Exercise was good, but the hunter's training was exhaustive.

"We won't tell anyone for now. In only two weeks the High Shaman is going to order to take your studies again before we start with the hormones. I'd tell him my suspicions then and we'd do the scan to confirm them."

"Ok."

"Until then though, I'm afraid that you'd have to leave training."

Tygra's ears went down.

"Do I have to? I'm feeling fine."

"I don't doubt it. Further more, I believe that going back to your routine helped to relax you. But a male pregnancy is always a high risk one, and we shouldn't take any chances."

Tygra sighed and rubbed his navel. He couldn't deny that he had experienced some nuisances during training.

"Jareid is going to ask what's wrong. What if I just join them to watch and do some exercise? They have been acting protectively around me anyway, and they won't let me do anything exhausting."

"Really? I suppose their instinct is calling to them. But it has to be very light exercise Tygra! You are to stop the moment you feel any discomfort and come to tell me, ok?"

Tygra nodded. If there really was a cub inside him, he was responsible for its well-being. He couldn't go around endangering his own cub. Both tigers went out of the clinic, so Bengali could inform Lieutenant Kab about what exactly Tygra should and shouldn't do in training.


	15. Chapter 15

**WARNINGS:** This contains Slash, and abuse, as well as mpreg. It is dark and treats themes only for mature audience, such as sex with a minor. Do not read if you don't like it.

***Disclaimer:** I don't own Thundercats, or any character or event associated to it, and I'm not making any money from this fiction.

Author note: Another chapter! Thanks for the reviews.

**CHAPTER 15. Crisis.**

Jareid was reviewing some assignments for the city guard, trying to distract himself from worrying. In just two more days Tygra was going to start taking the hormones again, and this time around it seemed that it was Jareid the one that was climbing over the walls in anxiety. In a way that was good. Tygra was more relaxed and collected, and Jareid had been told that his mate's calmer state would make the procedure easier. So, Jareid didn't mind being the one nervous enough to not eat, so long as Tygra was in good disposition to try the implantation again.

Another good thing, on Jareid's point of view, was that Tygra was acting more affectionate towards him. The tiger attached himself to Jareid's arms, or waist, every time they were together, thus allowing Jareid to show his possessiveness more, even in public. Their extended family had been surprised at the change in behaviour, but Jareid didn't mind and hadn't given it much thought. He was happy that Tygra was finally at ease with him touching and being playful wherever they were. The tiger had even started sexual activities on the bed once or twice! That was proof enough for Jareid that Tygra no longer felt forced into their mating. They were becoming a real family.

Jareid smiled. Soon they'd had their cub and no one would get the chance to take Tygra away. The tiger was the best thing that had happened in Jareid's life, and he'd kill whoever tried to separate them.

The prince returned to the papers in front of him without paying much attention to them. His mind continued wandering back to Tygra and hypothetic cubs. He was aware that many cats in the court didn't believe he'd be a good parent and were expecting Tygra to do all the job, but he'd show them. Who said they could talk anyway? Jareid could mention a few whose parental skills were less than impressive. All he needed was to have his tiger by his side and everything would work out just fine.

The jaguar prince was very distracted between work and his own thoughts. The last thing he expected was an angry Saixa storming into his office with murder in her eyes and yelling at him. He was shocked for a few seconds before he began to understand what the female was screaming at the top of her lungs.

"How dare you! You promised me Jareid! The one good thing about you was that you kept your promises! How could you not even tell me?! We had a deal!"

Jareid stood up because Saixa was getting dangerously close to him and he didn't like to be in disadvantage. He had always laughed at the male courtesans that felt intimidated by Saixa, but now he could see their point.

"What's gotten into you? What deal are you talking about?"

The woman all but growled at him.

"You very well know what deal! You promised me that I could be your carrier!"

Jareid snarled and stood face to face to the jaguaress.

"I told you that I would consider it. If Tygra wants to, and only _if_ this fourth try proves to be a failure! I'd ask him who he wants to carry our cub, but not yet Saixa! You'd have to wait!"

The woman stopped and her face changed to slight confusion.

"The fourth… Why is he even doing the fourth try? I thought you didn't want him hurt anymore…"

"Look Saixa, I don't want him hurt, he agreed to try it one last time. I don't want anyone else involved in my family's dealings! I told you that clear enough! Until Bengali says that Tygra can't carry our cub I'm not considering any other option! I'd take your offer into account, just not until there's no other choice! I have already told you this! I thought you were smarter!"

He expected her to bristle and start a new rant over she been intelligent enough. What he got instead was a stunned female, whose facial gestures were changing from confusion to comprehension, and then to fear.

"Saixa? Are you understanding me?"

He wished she'd answer. Any kind of reaction on her part would be welcome because the look she was giving him was, frankly, creepy.

"You are serious, aren't you?" She asked. Jareid frowned.

"Of course I am! What the hell is your problem?!"

Saixa's face now resembled a mask of confused terror. Jareid was getting impatient.

"You… You didn't lay with Mai recently. Did you?"

"Mai? The commander's daughter? I haven't even seen her around for months!"

"Oooh, gods…"

Saixa paled as full comprehension settled into her. Jareid had had enough. He grabbed the girl's wrist and snarled in her face.

"Saixa, tell me what's going on, now!"

"Mai is talking to the king right now. She arrived some hours earlier, and has been telling the entire court that she's pregnant, and that the cub is yours, I thought…"

"What?!"

Jareid roared and almost broke Saixa's wrist. The female put her head down and yelled in panic.

"Don't kill the messenger, Jareid! I have nothing to do with whatever Mai is doing! I swear!"

The prince roared louder and let go of the woman. He stalked out of the office in evident rage, leaving a trembling Saixa to sort herself out. She nursed her bruised wrist and breathed deeply.

"My goddess… I should have kept my mouth shut! I have to tell someone…"

She fumbled with her communicator until she could press the correct sequence of numbers.

"Sarai? Is Shaman Bengali there? … Could you please find him? It's an emergency! … Tell him that prince Jareid is looking for Mai, and he's beyond angry! … Please, it's important that someone stops him!"

* * *

Bengali was in the lab, considering what to do. Xiar had instructed him to get everything ready to produce another embryo. In two days, they were supposed to check up Tygra, and if the analysis were in order, they'd start the hormone treatment again. Now, Bengali was almost sure that it'd not be necessary to try another implantation, but he wasn't 100% sure. He was asking himself if he should get everything ready just in case, but it seemed pointless. Maybe he should tell the High Shaman what he had found and show him Tygra's hormonal profile. They may reach a conclusion and stop loosing time.

He sighed and opened the storage freezer for the semen samples. He could at least be sure that they were still viable. He opened the cases and counted. Then he frowned. He could have sworn that there still were three samples left for each parent. He didn't have much time to think about it. Sarai entered the lab at that moment with a worried frown in her face.

"Shaman Bengali, I just got a call from Lady Saixa. She said something about prince Jareid being very angry and looking for Lady Mai. She sounded very alarmed. She said that it was urgent that someone stops the prince."

Bengali scowled and closed the freezer to turn towards the lab's entrance.

"She said that Jareid was angry? Did she tell you why?"

"Well, no. But I suppose it's because Lady Mai is telling everyone that she's carrying the prince's cub."

Bengali stopped short and looked incredulously at the younger shaman.

"She's saying what?"

"She says that she's pregnant, and she's assuring that the cub is the prince's."

Bengali paled. It was definitely an emergency!

"Where's Mai? Do you know?"

"Last thing I heard was that she was trying to talk to the king."

"Oh, my."

Bengali walked out of the lab, intent on finding the girl before Jareid, but he didn't go too far. As soon as he exited the lab and entered the clinic's area designed to take samples and run tests, the High Shaman entered by the door that opened to the waiting hall. Lady Mai, the king and the chief commander followed him. None of the males looked happy, but the commander seemed particularly upset.

"I can't believe this. I can't believe that you'd pull something like this! I told you to never set foot in the palace again!"

"You can't keep me away from my love father! Much less now that I'm having his cub!"

"If you're even pregnant!"

"I wouldn't lie in something like this!"

"Enough!" Baal roared. His eyes fell on Bengali immediately.

"Has my son taken any of the suppressor?"

"No my king. Not since he mated with Tygra."

One thing that Baal had demanded of Jareid was that he had to make sure that no cubs resulted from his sexual scandals. To that end, Bengali prepared him a beverage that diminished his sperm production to almost zero. It had allowed the prince to happily go around from cat to cat without fathering any offspring. It had also allowed Baal to deny any compromise with the families. The concoction didn't have any secondary effects, and it had been the ideal solution to prevent situations like the one they were currently in.

Baal gritted his teeth. How could Jareid be so stupid? He knew what would happen if he fathered a cub out of the mating! It didn't make sense! Jareid had been obsessed with Tygra since the moment the teen had boarded the ship to Ix-Maal. Why would he go looking for entertainment now?

Bengali looked at Mai with doubt.

"If she's indeed pregnant, we can determine the paternity easily enough."

"It is Jareid's! You have just admitted that he hadn't been taking any suppressor."

"He hadn't. But that's because it's no longer needed. He's trying to have a cub with his mate after all."

"Well, he was tired of waiting. He needs someone who can actually give him what he wants, and he came to me! You can do all the tests you want. Jareid is my cub's father."

"We need to determine first how long is she." Said Xiar, who thought the whole affair was very suspicious.

"I'm thirty-eight days. Six weeks already." She said happily. Xiar and Bengali scowled.

"And you of course are one hundred percent sure of this fact." Said Bengali sarcastically.

"Of course! I went to one of the city's Shamans immediately." She bragged.

Bengali glanced behind towards Sarai who nodded and disappeared discretely through a door. Baal was still trying to put the pieces together. The commander suddenly asked to the room.

"Who else knows about this?"

Bengali sighed, thinking about what Sarai had told him.

"Almost the entire court, I bet."

Baal paused and his ears stood up in alarm.

"Where's Jareid?" He asked.

The commander was calling the royal guard when a commotion was heard outside the clinic. A moment later the door slid open and Jareid entered.

There wasn't time for anyone to react. As soon as Jareid laid eyes on Mai, he launched himself towards her with a roar. He had her by the neck and against the wall before the king and the commander reacted and barely stopped him before he crunched the girl's throat. As it was they weren't able to pry him off Mai. Xiar and Bengali threw sleeping spells at him, but all they achieved was that Jareid's hold lost some of its strength. He was too enraged for the magic to work on him fast enough. Someone injected a sedative to him and Baal and Myron finally could pull him away from the girl, who fell to the floor unconscious.

Two shamans went to attend Mai and Xiar ordered the rest to go back to their duties, as the commotion had attracted almost everyone in the wing. Baal called the two guards that appeared at the entrance, and ordered to take Jareid to his rooms.

"Lock the door for now. No one is allowed to enter! Not even Tygra! Xiar! Make sure to find the Shaman she consulted! I want her isolated until we can confirm the cub's paternity! Myron! I want to know Jareid's every move for the last two months!"

Everyone moved to obey the orders. Bengali made sure that Jareid was knocked out before they took him away, then he called Kab to tell him to keep an eye on Tygra, and to prevent the young tiger to return to the castle until Bengali went to look for him. After that he directed himself to Mai's newly assigned room. They still had to confirm the pregnancy, and clear up why she was so sure that Jareid was the father.

Bengali didn't believe for one moment that the prince had gone to her. Jareid had been focused on Tygra's well being for the last months. He had shown no interest in anyone else for more than a year! Something was definitely off.

One of the youngest Shamans was at the door of the room they had taken Mai in. Bengali frowned, recognizing one of Mai's cousins.

"Thao, go back to your duties. I'm sure Lady Mai would be fine."

"Mmm… yeah, I just… Prince Jareid was very angry, and I thought…"

"Don't worry, he's not going to get close to her any time soon. She should be safe. Though it'd have been better if she hadn't started to spread lies."

Thao wriggled his hands nervously.

"B-but… she's not lying… she… she said that…"

Bengali looked more attentively at the anxious young cat. He was only four years older than Tygra, and was always quiet and very calm, even in the midst of a crisis. He was also very intelligent and discreet. That was one of the reasons he was part of the team tending to Tygra's case. He had no reason to be this worried.

"What's the matter Thao?"

"S-she… Shaman Bengali, I only wanted to help, I swear!"

Bengali was now alarmed. He put a hand on the young jaguar's shoulder and looked at him directly.

"Thao, what did you do?"

* * *

Tygra was getting annoyed. The palace was in an uproar and no one wanted to tell him why. He had escaped Kab's vigilance when the lieutenant had answered a call from one of their superiors. He was not going to wait for Bengali to pick him up; he was not a cub!

Every servant and some of the courtesans he had encountered had looked nervously at him. He had been trying to find someone who'd explain to him what was the problem, but the servants wouldn't tell him anything. He couldn't find his brother or Saixa anywhere. He didn't want to go find Bengali and explain why he hadn't waited for the tiger in Kab's company in the first place, and Jareid wasn't in his office, or anywhere he could tell! Finally, he had decided that he'd wait for his mate in their room, but now he found himself in front of two guards that wouldn't allow him entrance. What the hell?

Huffing in annoyance, he turned around the corner to enter his own room, which was not blocked. Well, at least that meant that he wasn't banned from the royal apartments. He looked around the room quickly, assessing that everything was as he had left it, though Snarf was not present.

Tygra shrugged and debated whether or not he should try to enter the master bedroom, via his hidden door. The guards had implied that Jareid was very dangerous at the moment, but hadn't given him any reason for the supposed dangerousness. Tygra thought that they were exaggerating, but why would they lock Jareid in their rooms?

He huffed and decided that whatever had made Jareid angry had had enough time to pass. His mate should be calmer. Besides, he really wanted to know what was happening. He opened the door to Jareid's study and entered. He gave two steps and then stopped and looked around him.

The place looked as if a tornado had been caught inside. Everything was thrown off and broken around, even the desk. The shelves had been demolished, and he could see parts of the computer littering what was left of the desk. He could see that the bedroom was in a similar condition and he didn't want to check the sitting room. He couldn't see Jareid.

Tygra gulped and advanced towards the bedroom. Maybe he should have waited for Bengali after all. He stood at the arch and looked around.

Like the study, everything was in complete chaos. His puff was the only thing that looked untouched. The window was also in one piece, but Tygra could see that it was due to the glass being unbreakable and not for lack of trying on Jareid's part. He gulped, assessing the damage, and gave a couple of steps forward.

"Jareid?"

He heard a roar, and before he realized what was happening he was pulled and taken to the floor. He blinked and found himself technically under the bed, with Jareid's bulk over him and turquoise eyes looking intently at his face. After some seconds, Jareid's low growl stopped and he started to first sniff Tygra and then to lick his face and neck. Tygra tried to put his racing hearth under control. This had been definitely a bad idea.

"Jareid? Please say something?" He said, afraid that his mate had been enraged enough to be feral. Jareid nipped his neck and then moaned in his ear.

"Ty… My tiger… mine… you're here…"

Tygra released his breath in relief when Jareid started to speak somewhat coherently.

"Jareid, what happened?"

The growl returned and Jareid hugged Tygra tightly. The tiger gasped and almost missed Jareid's verbal response.

"They're not taking you away! I won't let them!"

"Uggh… J-Jareid… I need to breath…"

Jareid loosened his embrace a little, but he didn't release Tygra. The tiger didn't know what he should do. Jareid was very upset and Tygra wasn't sure if his mate was in any condition to explain what was going on. He debated with himself for a couple of minutes before a noise was heard and Bengali's voice irrupted in his ears.

"Jareid?"

The jaguar's growl intensified and he moved to confront the newcomer. Tygra straightened, but before he could do anything, Jareid held his arm and kept him from moving away.

"You're not to believe anything they tell you!"

"What?"

Tygra was confused as hell. He needed someone to explain what was happening soon. Bengali appeared at the arch, looking around in concern. Jareid turned to him and growled menacingly. Ben stopped and his eyes widened when he spotted the orange tiger.

"Tygra?"

"Hi Ben." Said the teen sheepishly. Jareid put himself between the two tigers. His entire posture tense and ready to attack at the minor provocation.

"Dammit Jareid, it's me! I really need you to calm down, please! And now it seems I need to check if Tygra is ok too!"

"I'm fine Ben, but I'm not sure that Jareid is."

Ben sighed and was about to risk a few steps closer to his prince, when Jareid suddenly roared and leaped forwards. Tygra tried to grab him, but he froze when he heard a shot. Belatedly, he realized that the two guards that had been stationed at the door of the rooms were now behind Bengali. One of them had a gun in his arm.

Tygra ran to Jareid's side alarmed. He helped the jaguar prince to walk backwards and sit down on the bedside. He pulled the dart out of the jaguar's shoulder and glared at it. It was a sedative, but Jareid hadn't fell to the floor. He continued growling, evidently fighting the effects of the tranquilizer. Bengali was admonishing the guards.

"I told you to stay outside!"

"He was attacking you, Shaman Bengali."

"He was more likely attacking _you_, officer. You should have remained in your post!" He turned to look at Tygra. "And you aren't supposed to be here!"

Tygra shrugged apologetically.

"They didn't lock my room."

"We didn't know he could enter that way. We did mention though that prince Jareid was better left alone for a while."

Bengali sighed and massaged his right temple.

"Well, maybe it'd be best if we leave him to sleep his anger off. Come Tygra."

The young tiger moved, but Jareid's hand held him by the wrist and wouldn't let go. Tygra stopped and looked back at his mate, who was barely conscious, but still fighting tenaciously to keep his eyes open and pulling insistently at Tygra's wrist. The tiger could shake free of Jareid's grasp easily, but he saw the desperation in his mate's eyes. He couldn't leave him like that. Besides, Jareid would never forgive Bengali if he took Tygra away now. The youth sighed and turned to the Shaman.

"I think I'd stay, Ben. He's going to be more upset if I leave."

Bengali frowned.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'd be fine. He's practically asleep now. I'm keeping him company."

Bengali looked at Jareid and seemed to reach the same conclusion Tygra had.

"Ok then."

"Sir…" Started one of the guards, evidently uncomfortable with the decision.

"It'd be all right officer. If Jareid had wanted to hurt Tygra, he'd have had plenty of time to do so. Now, go back to your posts."

"Yes sir."

Both guards disappeared and Tygra sighed in relief.

"Ben, what's going on?"

"It's a long story that we're still clearing out. But we need Jareid coherent to discuss the situation with him, and the actions to be taken. For now he needs to relax and get under control again. Let's get him lying down."

Jareid growled reproachfully at Bengali, but allowed himself to be laid down on the mattress. Not that he could have done anything about it, he was loosing the fight against the drug in his system. He however managed to keep his hold on Tygra's wrist. The young tiger sat down and got himself comfortable on the bed, with Jareid's head on his lap. He started to lazily comb the jaguar's mane and Jareid started to purr, mostly asleep now.

"What happened to make him so angry?"

Bengali sighed, looking at the prince in concern.

"Lady Mai is pregnant. She told the entire court that the cub is Jareid's and he didn't like it."

Tygra paused his hand motion on Jareid's head and gaped at Bengali.

"Is that true?"

"Very likely. We still need to confirm it."

Jareid moved and mumbled groggily.

"… 'sss lying…"

Tygra resumed his grooming on his mate's head and shushed him. Bengali sighed.

"Listen, Jareid never touched her. She has been banned from the palace from months now."

"Then, how could she claim she's with Jareid's cub?"

"She managed to steal some of the semen samples we took from you two and kept on storage. We contacted the Shaman she came to for help, and he assured us that he inseminated her without knowing where the sample had come from."

Tygra frowned. Jareid was silent now. He supposed that the sedative had finally won over.

"What's going to happen now?"

"We're still sorting that out. But don't worry, we'd figure out a solution. Besides, we still have our own piece of news to consider."

Ben winked in conspiration at him and Tygra put a hand over his belly. If he was with cub, it wouldn't matter what Mai had done. His cub would still be the first to be borne. His bond with Jareid would be safe. He smiled and nodded to his friend. Bengali patted his shoulder and then left him to relax too.

* * *

The next morning, Tygra woke up in Jareid's arms. It was raining again, and both cats were ensconced in a cocoon of light blankets. Tygra groaned and rubbed his stomach to appease the uncomfortable feeling in it. He hated to feel nauseous. It killed his appetite.

Jareid moaned and kissed Tygra's crown. The tiger almost smiled. The jaguar prince was back to normal, or what passed as 'normal' for him anyway.

Last evening, Tygra had been able to explain, to a barely recovering Jareid, what Bengali had told him about Mai. He had had a hard time getting his mate out of the resulting rage, before the jaguar prince had actually managed to make a dent in the window. Jareid had been furious and had only came back to his senses because Tygra had confessed his and Bengali's suspicions about his own pregnancy. Jareid had sobered up for an entire five minutes before starting a rant about they not informing him as soon as they had known. Tygra could live with that. At least his mate had been thinking again, and had stopped destroying what had been left of the room. He didn't envy the poor servant who would have to do the cleaning.

Tygra sighed as he felt his mate's hand raking the fur on the back of his head and his neck. Gods above! It felt so good! He moaned and Jareid moved a bit so he could kiss his lips.

"I'm still mad at you and Ben for not telling me sooner."

Tygra chuckled. In a way he was glad that _that_ was the first thing coming to Jareid's mind. It meant that Mai's treachery had lost a great deal of importance.

"We wanted to be sure first. We didn't want you to go overboard without reason. I don't want you to go overboard at all, but that may be impossible."

"My friend and my mate are plotting against me. That kind of worries me."

"We're not plotting_ against_ you. You'd be in a world of trouble if we ever do that!"

Jareid chuckled and proceeded to lick and nibble Tygra's neck. He sucked at his mark, happy when he heard the tiger moaning.

"Mine. All mine."

He moved again and kissed Tygra's nose tenderly. Then he looked at the tiger's brown eyes and caressed his cheek.

"My gift. Maybe not a God's gift, but still perfect for me."

Tygra blinked in confusion before he recognized his own words from months ago. He blushed fiercely and ducked his head down. Jareid chuckled and continued grooming and kissing the tiger's head.

"My perfect gift. You're more than enough for me."

Tygra moaned in mortification.

"Please stop it. I'm very ashamed that I ever told that to you! I must have sounded pathetic!"

Jareid lifted his face and looked at him with a soft expression that Tygra had never seen before. Jareid kissed him softly, almost lovingly. Tygra sighed. For just a moment he wanted to believe that he was actually loved. Jareid's lips were at his ear suddenly.

"Don't think that. It was a moment of weakness. You were upset and needed the reassurance."

He continued caressing and kissing Tygra form time to time. The tiger moaned in contentment and snuggled into his mate's embrace. They remained like that for long minutes until the alarm in Tygra's communicator sounded, reminding the tiger of the activities for the day. The youth sighed and started to move. Jareid pouted at him and Tygra couldn't suppress a chuckle.

"As comfortable as I am here in the bed, we should rejoin the land of the living, Jareid."

"Why? We're both happy here!"

"Yes, but I have to go to the Shamans' wing, so Bengali and the High Shaman can confirm if I'm indeed pregnant."

Jareid smiled and gave a quick kiss to Tygra's nose.

"I'm sure you are."

Tygra scrunched his nose and shook his head.

"Egocentric bastard. Nevertheless, we need the confirmation, and to put your parents' fears at rest. We also need to be present at the meeting with your father, to see what's going to happen with Mai's cub."

Jareid growled in anger. He couldn't believe they were discussing what to do!

"I'll kill her as soon as they tell me where they're keeping her!"

Tygra looked worriedly at his mate, and put a hand on his chest to ground him.

"No Jareid. You're not killing anyone. That's not an adequate solution."

"Why not? She'd be dead and gone, and the thing inside her too. No more problem!"

Tygra put a hand on his stomach protectively.

"Please Jareid. You can't turn into a murderer. Killing is a horrible crime. A king can't be a criminal. Besides, you'd be killing an innocent."

"She's no innocent!"

"But her cub is!"

"There's no cub yet! Just an amorphous bunch of cells!"

"No! Jareid, please!" A tear went out of Tygra's eye and down his cheek. Jareid immediately stopped whatever he had been about to say and tried to calm down.

"I'm sorry." He said, embracing the young tiger. "I'm sorry, I'm just very angry, Tygra. She could have broken the bond. I can't loose you because of her!"

"You're not loosing me. I'm here Jareid. Please, promise me that you're going to keep your act together. You can't go into a rage again. Not with a defenceless cub."

Jareid sighed and kissed Tygra's head one last time.

"I'd try. For you, I'd try my best to keep calm. But if they put her in front of me, I can't guarantee that I won't hurt her! I might just tear her to pieces right there!"

"I'm sure no one is going to risk that."

Tygra kissed his mate's mouth and sighed in acceptance.

"Thank you, Jareid."

* * *

The meeting took place in the High Shaman's office, because Baal didn't want to attract more attention to the problem before he had a viable solution. He had toyed with the idea to simply make Mai disappear, but he'd bring the council down on him. The female had been sure to make everyone aware of her pregnancy, as well as the possible father. What she hadn't counted on, was that every single cat in the court believed that the cub was Jareid's and Tygra's, not hers. That was because just a few really wanted the mating broken. The majority of the court wanted Jareid to keep his new attitude and becoming a good king. The court liked gossip, but they liked to have a prosperous kingdom more.

No one would question Baal if he decided to keep Mai hidden, but they'd demand explanations if he failed to present her cub after a reasonable time. That been told, he also had Xilara. The queen would never forgive him if he did something to get rid of the cub, even if it turned out to be the cause of Jareid's mating to break. She was very sensitive on the subject.

They had investigated the facts and now had a clear knowledge of what had happened. It had left Baal with the unsavoury impression that there was not enough security in the Shamans' wing, that teenagers lacked intelligence and common sense, and without his chief commander. Myron had been so ashamed by his daughter's actions that he had renounced to his post. He had offered to take Mai away and make sure that no one would hear from either of them again. Baal had been tempted to accept that offer. If the entire court hadn't been already aware of Mai's pregnancy he might have let Myron to solve things his way. They still could deny Mai's claim. They could say that it had been a false alarm and that the pregnancy hadn't taken, but they would still need either the girl's cooperation or a very good reason for her sudden absence.

Baal had spent hours the previous day discussing with Xiar their possibilities. They had kept coming to one conclusion. That cub had to disappear. It was a liability, and they couldn't risk Claudus knowing of its existence. They could lie to the old lion about the cub's parentage, but the Thunderian clerics would know the truth eventually. It'd cause more troubles than it was worth.

They needed to dispose of the cub somehow and deal with Mai in a way that she wouldn't have the sympathy of the court or the citizens. Baal couldn't be sure, but he could have bet that the female had alerted someone outside of the palace about her condition. Someone out there may be expecting an announcement from the king and might wonder what had happened to Mai. Maybe he was being paranoid, but they needed to cover all the possibilities. Xilara would never talk to him again, but he needed to do whatever was necessary for the stability of the kingdom. Jareid's mental health was in jeopardy here. Even when Baal didn't like to accept it, he could not deny that his son would be lost if they took Tygra away now.

Baal went to the meeting in a grim disposition. Xilara insisted on attending too, and he couldn't convince her to wait for their resolution. She was determined to know every single detail of the case and help in the resolution. She won't have any cub harmed, even if it wasn't technically a born cub yet. He was pleased however to see both Jareid and Tygra there. He had hoped that his son would calm down enough to attend the meeting. He wasn't aware that Tygra had helped, but was happy to see that the tiger's presence was grounding Jareid somehow.

Xilara was pleased too. She noticed the tension on her son's muscles and the hold he kept on Tygra's waist. The young tiger looked a bit embarrassed, but he didn't deny Jareid the comfort of the touch. He even leaned on his mate a little and the jaguar prince seemed to be trying to keep his focus on his mate.

Jareid greeted his parents and resisted the urge to demand to know Mai's whereabouts. Tygra wanted him to respect the little wench's life, so be it. He only needed to be sure that she was going to be dealt with and would not be a danger to his family. He tried to not fidget while they waited for the High Shaman and Bengali.

The commander arrived just moments behind them, and Jareid glared at him, wanting very much to tell him what he thought of the cat's offspring. Granted, Myron wasn't the only one at fault. He had been estranged from his mate for about five years. Well, if the mother was anything like the daughter Jareid could certainly sympathize with Myron, but the old cat should have gotten rid of both of them, not only one. Jareid looked again and narrowed his eyes. Myron was not wearing the commander insignia. He was about to ask his father what had happened when Xiar and Bengali finally appeared. Baal frowned at his High Shaman. It was not like Xiar to be late for a meeting.

"What took you both so long Xiar?"

"I beg your forgiveness your Majesty. Bengali has just told me something important. Before we make a decision, I think we should confirm his theory."

He turned to the young couple and nodded to the tiger.

"Prince Tygra, if you'd be so kind to come to the clinic."

Tygra nodded and both he and Jareid proceeded to follow Ben. Baal raised an eyebrow.

"What's happening Xiar? Is something else wrong?"

"No. In fact, if Bengali is right, our problem might just have solved itself."

He followed the three younger cats to the clinic. The remaining three soon were behind him, curious about what had happened.

* * *

No force on Third Earth would have made Jareid leave Tygra's side, so the Shamans didn't even try. It was troublesome to get everything ready with Jareid getting in the way, and snarling at any thing that dared to get too close to Tygra. Bengali ended up doing almost all the work, and the young tiger apologized profusely for his psycho mate. Jareid nipped Tygra's ear for that comment, but stood protectively beside the examination bed as Ben shaved the fur on Tygra's navel and applied some gel. The white tiger then put the scanner in place and Xiar could turn it on. A frizzy image appeared on the screen next to the bed and both Shamans made some adjustments and moved the scanner a bit to get a better view.

Tygra was very nervous and Jareid was so focused on trying to soothe him that it took a while for them to notice that both Shamans were suspiciously silent. Jareid finally turned to them to ask what was going on and was surprised to look at the cats' stunned faces. Was Bengali actually gaping at the screen?

Jareid turned towards the monitor to see what was the problem. He blinked and squinted his eyes at the bluish screen. He couldn't distinguish anything! He turned to Bengali again and sneered.

"Ben? Third Earth to Bengali! What's going on?!"

"Mmm… Well, I… umm… There are two sacs in there, right?" He looked to Xiar for confirmation. The High Shaman nodded and started to analyze the data that the machine was loading. Jareid frowned.

"Two what? Where? I can't see a bloody thing!"

"Look."

Bengali started to manipulate the screen and pointed out two circles. Jareid stared. Now that Ben had pinpointed them, he could see the two tiny figures.

"So, that means…?"

"It means that two of the embryos developed." Said Xiar. "Interesting."

"What?!"

Jareid turned to look at a very freaked out Tygra, who was starting to tremble. He grabbed the tiger's hand and nuzzled his cheek.

"Shh. Don't panic. It's ok."

"B-but… two? How?"

"Maybe the embryo divided?" Asked Ben. Xiar shook his head.

"No. These are not identical twins. The second embryo must have encysted, and when the third started to develop, the hormones should have stimulated the other. Both foetuses are at seven weeks of development. There is not much difference in time between them."

Tygra sucked air and grabbed Jareid's arm tightly. The jaguar started to massage the back of his mate's neck and Bengali looked worriedly at him.

"It's going to be fine Tygra. I'm going to take good care of you."

Tygra closed his eyes and leaned on Jareid. He breathed his mate's smell to calm himself and kept silent. Xiar and Bengali turned the scanner off, and Bengali helped Tygra to get ready to leave while Xiar went to inform the news to the king.

Tygra was still trembling. Ben guided the couple to sit on a pair of chairs, so he could check up the tiger and let him calm down.

"Everything is going to be fine Tygra."

"But two… Ben, it was going to be difficult enough with one! Can a male even bear two cubs?"

"You're a unique case. I admit that this is the first time this has happened. We are going to have to monitor you closely. If you can't carry them both to term, we are going to have to prepare the incubator."

Tygra put his hand over his stomach fearfully. A pregnant male already had to give birth a month early. The cub's prospect for survival diminished the earlier it was born. If he couldn't carry his cubs for at least the entire six months, they might not survive. Jareid tried to comfort him, assuring him that they'd be really careful and both cubs would be born safely. Bengali gave them some instructions and a special diet for Tygra before declaring that the young tiger was as healthy as could be and that he should avoid stress as much as possible. Tygra scoffed. As if that were possible, with Jareid as a mate. The jaguar prince actually chuckled and promised to make everything to avoid conflict. Before they left, Tygra still glared reproachfully at Bengali one more time.

"Are you sure this time that they're only two Ben? Because if I end up having three cubs, I swear I'm going to kill the lot of you!"

"Easy now, no need to get violent. I swear you're carrying only two cubs. The scanner's detector would have given the data for a third foetus, even if it had been hiding from view."

Tygra grumbled under his breath, annoyed that they had made him experience a painful third implantation when apparently he had been already pregnant. Ben smiled in sympathy at him.

"I'm sorry it was so difficult, but it might have been the third embryo the one that stimulated the second one. We don't really know what happened to make your womb shed the lining even when there had been a successful implantation, so we really have no way of knowing if the second embryo would have developed normally if we had left it alone."

Tygra sighed and nodded in acceptance, starting to rub his navel again. Jareid kissed the tiger's temple and then frowned at Bengali.

"Why am I the only one who gets a real scolding when I threaten to kill someone?"

"Because you are actually serious when you say it, whereas the rest of the world is only talking because they're upset, but the probability of them actually killing someone is remote."

Jareid pouted and Tygra chuckled, finally relaxing a bit. The couple went out of the clinic to be congratulated by Jareid's parents and join the meeting that was taking place in the clinic's hall. Tygra's pregnancy changed the situation in a determinant way.

* * *

Myron walked the way to his rooms for the last time. He was going to pack quickly and go home. Baal had tried to convince him to change his mind, but Myron knew that he wasn't going to be able to see the prince in the face ever again.

He had threatened his daughter with telling the prince about her plotting with Bali months ago, but how could he when she was with cub? Mai had already betrayed the crown twice. That was already a death sentence. She was still alive, first because of the cub, and second because no one knew about her involvement in the assassination attempt against Tygra. As it was, what she did could not really be catalogued as high treason. It was theft in a way. She had technically stolen a cub, so now she would have to give it back.

Myron sighed. Mai's cub was only a week behind Tygra's twins in development, and it'd be born a month later. Thank the spirits that Tygra had been pregnant after all, or they'd have even bigger problems. Myron didn't doubt that Baal would have ended up disposing of both Mai and her cub, law or no law.

He was surprised to find his estranged mate outside his rooms, apparently waiting for him. He scowled. He had told her five years ago that they didn't have anything to do with each other and that he didn't want to speak to her again. The feeling had been mutual, what would she want there now, after five years of blessed absence?

"Ika. What are you looking for, here?"

"Don't worry, I'm not looking for you. I just want to know where my daughter is, so I can go and congratulate her. I suppose they are going to make an announcement soon. A consort always gets the most attention when she is already pregnant."

Myron scoffed. As if.

"She's not going to be a consort, or anything related to the royal family."

"What?! But she's carrying their cub! They owe her the position, and you should have pressured for it!"

"They don't owe her anything! They didn't want her to be the carrier. Prince Tygra is pregnant! Your foolish daughter stole the samples and went to one of the city's Shamans who didn't make many questions. He has been found already. He prepared the embryo from the samples and implanted it. She showed up with two of the servants, and the Shaman thought they were the parents. She is isolated until she gives birth."

That was what they were going to tell. No one was to know that Mai's cub was only Jareid's. She'd have no right to the cub, they were going to take it from her as soon as possible. It'd be easier if everyone believed that it was not really her cub. No one would question the king's decision if Mai were only seen as the carrier and not the actual mother of the cub.

Neither Jareid nor Tygra had been very happy with the decision, but for different reasons. Jareid was simply furious and didn't want to have anything to do with Mai or her offspring. He didn't want her close, and would be only too happy to just forget about her existence. Tygra on the other hand, had felt for the cub. He didn't care about Mai one way or the other, but the cub would suffer at being separated from its mother. He didn't want to inflict any pain on a little cub.

The High Shaman had assured him that they'd do everything they could to make it easier for the cub, and Queen Xilara had promised to help in the transition. She had originally offered to take the cub herself, but then everyone would ask why and their ruse would be discovered. Which meant that the cub would go to Jareid and Tygra as soon as Mai gave birth. Jareid had protested. He hadn't wanted to accept the cub, but Tygra had agreed to take it. The tiger had pleaded to Jareid to keep the cub with them and the prince had caved, but he was not in the best disposition.

Ika was shocked to hear the news.

"She stole… That's… impossible! How could she do something so stupid! She's going to be in disgrace for the rest of her life! Didn't you do something for her? Perhaps convince them to accept her as a carrier to avoid the scandal!"

"You want me to try to change prince Jareid's mind, really?"

Ika paled. No one discussed with the prince. If he had wanted Mai dead, she would have been, no matter the problems such an act would bring on Baal. The king would sort them out eventually.

"No. For once it seems you did the right thing. At least she's still alive. And she'd remain so, right?"

"As soon as she gives the cub to its parents, she's going to be banished from the palace, and probably the city as well, but yes, she'd be alive."

'_As long as prince Jareid doesn't get to her, at least.'_ He thought privately. Ika made a face of disgust.

"To Thundera?" She asked with derision.

"Surely." Myron said, but he didn't think so. Baal would not risk her worming her way into Thundera's court and causing new troubles. She'd surely be confined to one of the other tribes that inhabited the jungle or close to it. Ika sneered and turned around to leave.

"I see it was a mistake to leave her with you after all. You couldn't even guide her to succeed. Instead, you let her do stupid things like this!"

Myron growled at her back, but didn't bother to answer. It was useless at that point.

* * *

Saixa stood nervously outside of Bengali's office. She had gone to the Shamans' wing to tend to her bruised wrist and to see if she could hear some news. The shaman who had treated her had already lectured her for taking so long in going, but the previous two days had been hectic and she hadn't wanted to risk encountering Jareid or Baal, after she had foolishly told the prince about Mai.

The shaman had told her that the prince was no longer in a murderous rage, but nevertheless it'd be wise to stay clear of him for a time. The entire palace had already listened to the King's announcement about the situation, and everyone knew that Mai was in deep shit. She was not likely to be seen in the court ever again.

Saixa couldn't get her mind around the idea that someone had done something so… abysmal! One had to be really desperate, and stupid, to steal samples from the Shamans' wing. Mai should have had help. She couldn't have possibly pulled _that_ on her own.

Saixa had been about to go and return to her rooms, but the shaman had told her that Shaman Bengali wanted to speak with her. She was curious about what he would want. There was no close contact between them, and she didn't think that Jareid or Tygra would have need for her any longer. Which was really a shame. She had been getting used to the tiger. She could definitely see why Jareid preferred him to the rest of the court.

Sighing, she called on the door and entered the shaman's office. Bengali looked at her and smiled.

"Lady Saixa. Good to see you. Sorry to call you this early in the morning."

Saixa rolled her eyes. It was not that early. It was already past breakfast time. But Bengali was used to get told off if he called one of the court ladies before noon. They said that social etiquette demanded that every meeting outside the house was to take place in the afternoons, before dinnertime. Saixa was not much for following etiquette; besides, her wrist had been hurting.

"Not a problem Shaman Bengali. I came to see my healer anyway."

Bengali noticed the bandaged wrist and nodded in comprehension, but didn't pry anymore. Saixa took a seat on one of the chairs in front of Ben's desk.

"So, what do you want me for?"

"Well…"

The sound of the door sliding open interrupted them, and Jareid came in. Saixa tensed, not sure of how the prince would react to her presence.

"Ok Ben, let's do this quick!"

Bengali looked at the jaguar and raised an eyebrow.

"And Tygra?"

"Are you kidding me? He's not going out of the room in the foreseeable future!"

Bengali groaned and massaged his temple. He was going to have a serious talk with their prince, again! Saixa barely suppressed a smile.

"I don't think he'd be happy about that…"

Jareid glared at her, and she turned to Ben.

"But I'd shut up now."

The prince smirked in satisfaction and leaned on the back of another chair beside Saixa. Bengali sighed and looked up to the two cats.

"Fine, let's put this behind us. Lady Saixa, as you're aware, Tygra is now seven weeks into his pregnancy. He'd prefer to have a nursemaid for his cubs. He's not too fond of the idea of feeding them the special formula."

Jareid huffed. Tygra had loathed the special formula. He had said that he wanted nothing artificial for his cubs. His little ones _will_ have real milk, period. Saixa looked from one cat to the other before speaking.

"Are you asking me to be nursemaid? I considered the possibility, but with Mai already carrying, I thought that you were going to take advantage of her condition."

Bengali sighed and Jareid grumped.

"We _were_. The prince here, didn't agree with us."

Saixa raised an eyebrow at said prince, who growled.

"She's not touching my family. She's not having anything to do with my cubs! Not any part of her!"

Saixa was about to comment that she was already carrying one of the cubs, but she rather wanted to leave the office in one piece, so she shut her mouth and thought about the offer.

"Am I actually nursing them?"

"Well, you'd just have to provide the milk. They are going to bond with Tygra after all…"

"And you're not to be messing up with that, Saixa! You'd be only helping, understood?"

"All right, all right! No need to get violent. Gezz!"

Bengali glared at Jareid and waited for the prince to stop growling. The jaguar male relaxed once he was sure that Saixa understood what was expected of her. Bengali sighed.

"So, can we count with you for that?"

The jaguaress pressed her lips. It was not what she had wanted, but it'd help her to fend off her family for a while. She had decided long ago that if she couldn't have her father's seat in the council she won't sit back and give it to a hypothetical mate. If it wasn't Jareid, she was not mating anyone. The family would have to renounce to their place in the council if they wouldn't tolerate a female as their representative.

While being a nursemaid wasn't such a privileged position, it'd still mean that she was close to the royal couple, and would dedicate time to help Tygra with the cubs. Any possible mating would have to wait. She nodded at Bengali, and the white tiger smiled.

"Excellent. We'd need to do a couple of tests and then give you the pills for you to start producing milk. But all of that can still wait a couple of months."

Saixa was dismissed shortly after that, and Bengali was left alone with Jareid. The prince stretched out and yawned.

"Told you she was going to say yes. She needs an excuse to escape her family's pressure, and this is going to consume time. No one would dare tell her that she should have refused in favour of finding a mate."

"Well, that's at least one problem solved. But we still have the other, concerning Mai's cub."

Jareid gritted his teeth. He still was furious that he would have to take care of a cub that he hadn't wanted in the first place. He had only accepted because Tygra had begged him to. His tiger was not going to ever condone to abandon a cub. It was already going to loose its mother. Tygra would never forgive Jareid if he rejected his own cub.

They had agreed to raise all three cubs, but the bond that the third infant was going to develop with Mai was going to be a problem. They needed a way to nullify it, or at least diminish its intensity, so the cub wouldn't suffer the separation too much. They were going to take the cub away as soon as it was born. It'd be the same as when the mother died at birth. Only, they were going to have the same problem.

When the mother died at birth it was extremely rare that the cub survived. As a rule, the cub would not eat, either from the bottle of from a surrogate. In some fortunate cases, the father succeeded in feeding the cub and getting it through the crisis, but the majority died on the first week. The cub bonded with the mother through her heartbeat and her voice first, and her smell second. If it failed to recognize its mother, it'd grow very distressed and anguished, thus refusing to eat.

Jareid grunted in irritation.

"Have you given her the special recorder?"

Ben nodded. The device had a recording with the heartbeat and voice of Tygra. Mai had been told that it contained music, and that was all she was going to listen coming from it.

"Of course. The only problem is to make sure that she uses it. We can turn it on remotely while she's asleep, but it'd be best if she puts it over her belly, like Sarai instructed her to do. Maybe we can try to tell her that you want her to do it. She's still under the delusion that you love her."

Jareid made a derisive sound. There were no words to express what he thought of that. He couldn't believe that Mai was still keeping the illusion that he was in love with her, after he had tried to strangle her.

"You've got to be kidding me. After what happened?"

"Well, she's obsessed…"

"And delusional!"

"And she has convinced herself that we are telling lies to you and misleading you into believing that her cub is not yours. She's insisting on talking to you. She wants to explain what she did, so you can see that she only did it because she loves you and wants to be with you."

"As I said. Delusional!"

Jareid straightened and gave a suffering sigh.

"Look, I don't really care what you do to get Mai to cooperate, as long as you don't mix Tygra in that. I'm not interested to know anything related to her pregnancy. If it were my choice, I'd never have anything to do with the product either!"

Ben sighed sadly.

"Not even because it is your cub?"

Jareid growled in annoyance and bared his teeth to Ben.

"My cubs are the ones Tygra would give me, no one else's! I accepted to receive this because Tygra wants it, but I really wouldn't care less if it dies at birth!"

"You realize that you're taking out your anger with a cub that had nothing to do with how Mai decided to handle things?"

"Its existence could have been enough to take Tygra away from me, no matter if it was at fault of not! That's reason enough for me to despise the little thing!"

"Jareid, you can't be thinking like that! You should see that 'the little thing' is yours!"

Jareid growled and clenched his fists. Ben tried to approach him, but thought better of it and sighed in defeat.

"Fine. I can see that I'm not going to get through to you. I hope Tygra would be more successful."

Jareid glared daggers at him. For a moment, Ben was certain that the jaguar was going to attack him, but Jareid turned away and started walking towards the door.

"Just make sure that you deliver that bloody cub to Tygra. He's not going to get distant with me because of the cub! I want him to be happy."

Bengali knew that he should keep silent, but he couldn't resist.

"You know? Mai's obsession with you reminds me too much of your own obsession with Tygra. And it is scary."

For his surprise, Jareid looked back at him with half a snarl on his face.

"Why do you think I want her dead? I know what I'd do to any cat that caught Tygra's eye, and I know that I'd never stop until I'd have Tygra only for myself."

He left the office, leaving Bengali groaning in worry and thinking that he didn't like those parting words at all.


End file.
